26 Questions
What is the outcome of myeloma cells in the presence of aminopterin?
They die
What is the advantage of using bioreactors for antibody production?
Higher antibody concentration
What is a characteristic of monoclonal antibodies?
Uniform affinity for the same epitope
What is a disadvantage of monoclonal antibodies?
Average affinity is lower than polyclonal antibodies
What is an application of monoclonal antibodies?
All of the above
What is the target of the monoclonal antibody rituximab?
CD20 B-cell antigen
What is the mechanism of action of infliximab?
Blockage of TNF-α
What is a use of monoclonal antibodies in metabolic disorders?
Treatment of LDL-C levels
What is the advantage of monoclonal antibodies over polyclonal antibodies?
Higher specificity
What is the use of monoclonal antibody toculizumab?
Treatment of COVID-19
What is a major disadvantage of conventional antibody production method?
Yielding antiserum that contains undesired substances
What is the main principle of clonal selection in the adaptive immune system?
Antigen triggers the expansion of limited number of B cell clones
What is the key difference between polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies?
Specificity of antibodies
What is the technology used to produce monoclonal antibodies?
Hybridoma technology
What is the characteristic of antibodies produced by a single clone of B cells?
They are of uniform specificity
What is the advantage of monoclonal antibodies over polyclonal antibodies?
They are of uniform specificity
What is the definition of a clone?
A population of cells derived from a single progenitor cell
What is the role of antigen in the adaptive immune system?
It triggers the expansion of limited number of B cell clones
What is the primary purpose of Hybridoma Technology?
To generate a continuous supply of monoclonal antibodies
What is the main difference between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies?
Antibody specificity: uniform vs diverse
What is the role of splenic B cells in Hybridoma Technology?
To produce antibodies with uniform antigenic specificity
What is the prerequisite for the production of monoclonal antibodies?
Immunization of animals to produce antibodies of choice
What is the advantage of using the spleen as a source of lymphocytes?
Offers a larger source of lymphocytes compared to peripheral blood
What is the characteristic of monoclonal antibodies produced by Hybridoma Technology?
Have a single type of antigen binding site
What is the result of immunization of animals in Hybridoma Technology?
Activation of B cells and production of antibodies
What is the significance of unlimited growth capacity of myeloma cells in Hybridoma Technology?
Provides a continuous supply of monoclonal antibodies
Study Notes
Hybridoma Technology
- Myeloma cells die in the presence of aminopterin
- Fusion of myeloma cells (plasma cell tumor cells) with splenic B cells produces hybridoma cells that can continuously produce antibodies
- Hybridoma cells have unlimited growth capacity and produce antibodies of uniform antigenic specificity
Antibody Production
- Large amounts of antibody can be produced using immunized animals
- Cells are cultured in hollow fibers, fresh media and waste are recirculated, and high concentrations of antibody are produced in cell compartment
- Alternative methods: roller bottle, microcarrier, and membrane-bound cell culture processes
Advantages and Disadvantages of Monoclonal Antibodies
Advantages
- Homogeneity: binds to the same epitope with uniform affinity
- High specificity
- Target-oriented
- Small quantity of antigen is required
- Consistent and limitless supply
- Easier to test for cross-reactivity
Disadvantages
- High specificity affects use as diagnostic when there are minor differences between strains
- Limited sensitivity
- Average affinity is lower than polyclonal antibodies
- Immune rejection
- Expensive and time-consuming to produce
- Requires specialized skills
Uses of Monoclonal Antibodies
- Infectious diseases (e.g., OKT-3 for acute rejection of renal allotransplant)
- Autoimmune diseases (e.g., Infliximab and Adalimumab for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis)
- Cancer therapy (e.g., Rituximab for B-cell lymphomas, Trastuzumab for breast cancer)
- Metabolic disorders (e.g., mAbs targeting secreted fatty acid-binding protein aP2 for type 2 diabetes)
- Infectious diseases (e.g., Raxibazumab for inhalational anthrax, Tocilizumab for COVID-19)
Theory of Clonal Selection
- A clone is a population of cells derived from a single progenitor cell
- The adaptive immune system works by clonal selection: antigen triggers the expansion of limited number of B cell clones specific for that antigen
- Antibodies produced by a single clone of B cells are monoclonal antibodies
What are Monoclonal Antibodies?
- Uniform specificity produced by a clone of B cells against a single antigenic determinant or hapten
- Produced by hybridoma technology developed by Kohler and Milstein in 1975
Hybridoma Technology
- A technique to generate a continuous supply of monoclonal antibodies
- Hybridoma is a fusion of myeloma cells and splenic B cells
- Takes advantage of the unlimited growth capacity of myeloma cells and the cellular machinery of B cells to produce antibodies of uniform antigenic specificity
This quiz tests your understanding of genetics and immunology concepts, including myeloma cells, plasma cells, and immunoglobulins. It covers the effects of aminopterin on myeloma cells and the characteristics of plasma cells from immunized animals.
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