Question 1: Define monoclonal antibodies and explain their significance in medical treatment.

Answer: Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies produced by a single clone of plasma cells, used in targeted therapy and diagnostics due to their specificity.

Question 2: Describe the basic process of producing monoclonal antibodies using hybridoma technology.

Answer: The process involves immunising a mouse, extracting its B cells, fusing them with myeloma cells to form hybridomas, which are then selected for antibody production, resulting in a pure clone of identical antibodies.

Question 3: In the context of monoclonal antibody production, what is the purpose of using a cell fusion technique?

Answer: Cell fusion combines antibody-producing B cells with myeloma cells to create hybridomas that can produce large quantities of identical antibodies.

Question 4: Calculate the yield of monoclonal antibodies if a hybridoma culture produces 250 micrograms per day over a week.

Answer: 1750 micrograms

Question 5: Identify two key safety precautions that must be observed during hybridoma cell culture experiments.

Answer: Use sterile techniques to prevent contamination and wear protective clothing to avoid exposure to biohazardous materials.

Question 6: Explain why monoclonal antibodies are considered highly specific in their function.

Answer: They are produced by a single clone of cells and therefore target only one specific antigen, ensuring high specificity.

Question 7: A researcher finds that after purification, the monoclonal antibody solution has a concentration of 5 mg/mL. How much antibody is present in 2 mL of this solution?

Answer: 10 milligrams

Question 8: Describe one industrial application of monoclonal antibodies outside of medicine.

Answer: Monoclonal antibodies are used in the food industry to detect the presence of specific allergens or contaminants in products.

Question 9: In an experiment, the yield of monoclonal antibodies was measured as 150 micrograms after 6 days. If the production rate remains constant, what is the daily yield?

Answer: 25 micrograms per day

Question 10: Explain how the production process of monoclonal antibodies can be optimised for higher yields in industry.

Answer: Optimisation can involve improving cell culture conditions such as nutrient supply, temperature, pH, and using genetically modified cell lines for higher productivity. Additionally, scaling up bioreactors and enhancing purification methods can increase yield and purity.