Uses of Monoclonal Antibodies (AQA GCSE Biology)
Revision Note
Written by: Lára Marie McIvor
Reviewed by: Lucy Kirkham
Uses of Monoclonal Antibodies
Higher tier only
The cloned antibodies that are produced can be to a specific protein on the cell or a particular chemical
Monoclonal antibodies have a variety of uses. Some examples include:
In pregnancy tests
In laboratories to measure the levels of hormones and other chemicals in blood (such as some cancer proteins), or to detect pathogens
In research to locate or identify specific molecules in a cell or tissue by binding to them with a fluorescent dye
To treat some diseases: for cancer the monoclonal antibody can be bound to a radioactive substance, a toxic drug or a chemical which stops cells growing and dividing. It delivers the substance to the cancer cells without harming other cells in the body
Use of monoclonal antibodies table
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You are not expected to recall any specific tests or treatments but given appropriate information, you should be able to explain how they work using the principles of antibody specificity. You should be able to describe some of the ways in which monoclonal antibodies can be used in the exam. You should also appreciate the power of monoclonal antibodies and be considerate of ethical issues as a result of their production and use.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Monoclonal Antibodies
Higher tier only
Monoclonal antibodies have the potential to make big improvements to diagnosis and treatment and when they were first developed there were hopes for their use to become widespread
However monoclonal antibodies create more side effects than expected which has hampered their use
Monoclonal antibodies table
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You need to be able to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of monoclonal antibodies.
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