Producing Monoclonal Antibodies (OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science Suite)): Revision Notes

Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies, that have been produced from the same immune cell. As a result of their ability to bind to only one protein antigen, they can be used to target chemicals and cells in the body and so have many different medical uses, e.g. in pregnancy testing.

How are they produced:

1. Scientists obtain mice lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that make antibodies but cannot divide), which have been stimulated to produce a specific antibody.
2. They are combined with tumour cells (do not make antibodies but divide rapidly), to form a cell called a hybridoma.

3. The hybridoma can divide to produce clones of itself, which all produce the same antibody.
4. The antibodies are collected and purified.