The use of monoclonal antibodies in enabling the targeting of specific substances and cells. • evaluate methodology, evidence and data relating to the use of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies • discuss ethical issues associated with the use of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

So... what are monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal just means a group of the same thing, so when we talk about monoclonal antibodies we mean a whole load of antibodies that are exactly the same. This is significant because inside the body, you find many different types of antibodies: this is because B cells which produce antibodies are induced to clone by antigens on the surface of a pathogen, there are many different antigens on a single cell, so many different B cells are produced and hence many different antibodies (polyclonal).

How are they made?
There now several ways to produce monoclonal antibodies, the one below is Milstein and Kohlers method (1975):

1. Introduce a pathogen (with complimentary antigens to the antibody you want) to a mammal.
2. The antigen will induce the cloning of the B cell that produces the right antigen. However, it will also produce others, giving B cells that will produce polyclonal antibodies.
3. The B cells are taken out of the body and fused with tumour cells. The result is a hydribomas which is a cells that produces antibodies but can live for a longer time and divide outside the body.
4. Different hybridoma are separated off and left to divide until it forms a group (a clone).
5. Each clone is screened for the antibody that is needed- if it is being produced then it is grown on an industrial scale.
6. Antibodies are extracted from the clone.

What are they used for?

Monoclonal antibodies are useful in the treatment of illness and the application of science because they allow the targeting of specific cells due to the fact that they will only bind with one antigen.

• Separation techniques.
• Immunoassay: when you take a pregnancy, drugs or HIV test, there are complimentary monoclonal antibodies in the test which will form an antigen-antibody complex with the protein that is being looked for which triggers a colour change.
• Cancer therapies: trigger the immune system to attack cancer cells; carry radiation to the cancer cells; block signals that tell the cancer cells to divide.
• Preventing rejection of transplanted organs: by targeting the T cells involved with destroying the foreign tissue.
• Diabetes treatment.

What are the associated ethical issues?

• You have to give cancer and illness to mammals (mice).
• You have to make transgenic mammals (giving the properties of humans to make the antibodies suitable to use in the treatment of people).
• Testing on humans caused organ failure.
• Some people with MS have died as a cause.