The Hybridoma Method
- Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are artificially produced antibodies produced from a single B cell clone
- Monoclonal antibodies bind to antigens in the same way as naturally produced antibodies
- The hybridoma method is used to make monoclonal antibodies
- The method enables large quantities of identical antibodies to be produced
- The hybridoma method fuses plasma cells with tumour cells, combining their useful properties
- Plasma cells can produce antibodies
- Tumour cells can divide indefinitely by mitosis and produce more identical cells
- The hybridoma method involves the following stages
- Mice are injected with an antigen that stimulates the production of antibody-producing plasma cells
- Isolated plasma cells from the mice are fused with immortal tumour cells, producing hybridoma cells
- The fusion of plasma and tumour cells can be assisted with the use of fusogens such as polyethylene glycol or an electric current
- These hybrid cells are grown in a selective growth medium and screened for the production of the desired antibody
- They are then cultured to produce large numbers of monoclonal antibodies
- Monoclonal antibodies have multiple applications, including diagnostics, treating disease, food safety testing and pregnancy testing
The hybridoma method is used to produce monoclonal antibodies
