Producing Monoclonal Antibodies: From Lymphocytes to Hybridomas

The video tutorial explains how antibodies are produced by lymphocytes and their role in binding to specific antigens. It introduces monoclonal antibodies, which are identical antibodies produced from a single cell clone, and discusses their applications in targeting proteins. The tutorial also covers the challenges in producing monoclonal antibodies due to lymphocytes' inability to divide, and how hybridoma technology, which fuses lymphocytes with tumor cells, overcomes this issue. The process of producing monoclonal antibodies, including the use of mice and hybridoma cells, is detailed.

What is the primary function of antibodies produced by lymphocytes?

• To bind to specific antigens

• To bind to any antigen in the body

• To destroy pathogens directly

• To produce more lymphocytes

What makes monoclonal antibodies particularly useful in medical applications?

• They can bind to any type of protein

• They can divide rapidly

• They are naturally occurring in the body

• They are produced by tumor cells

Why can't lymphocytes be used directly to produce large quantities of monoclonal antibodies?

• They are too large to manipulate

• They cannot produce antibodies

• They cannot divide

• They are not specific to antigens

What is the role of hybridoma cells in the production of monoclonal antibodies?

• They produce antibodies without needing lymphocytes

• They combine the properties of lymphocytes and tumor cells

• They are naturally occurring cells in the body

• They are used to destroy unwanted cells

What is the first step in producing monoclonal antibodies using hybridoma technology?

• Fusing lymphocytes with tumor cells

• Cloning hybridoma cells

• Purifying the antibodies

• Injecting a mouse with the target antigen