1
Triple onlyHigher tier
[1 mark]How are monoclonal antibodies produced?
- From a single clone of cells
- From a mixture of different lymphocytes
- From the blood of a patient only
- From bacteria that have been killed
Show mark scheme
Answer: A A (1)
2
Triple onlyHigher tier
[4 marks]Describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced.
Show mark scheme
- mouse lymphocytes are stimulated to make a particular antibody (1)
- lymphocytes combined with a tumour cell (1) to make a hybridoma cell (1)
- hybridoma cell can both divide and make the antibody (1)
- single hybridoma cells are cloned (1) to produce many identical cells making the same antibody
- the antibody is collected and purified (1)
- Max 4
3
Triple onlyHigher tier
[4 marks]Monoclonal antibodies can be used to treat cancer. Explain how a monoclonal antibody can deliver a drug to cancer cells without harming other cells in the body.
Show mark scheme
- antibody is specific to / binds to an antigen on the cancer cells (1)
- the antibody is bound to a radioactive substance / toxic drug / chemical that stops cells growing and dividing (1)
- so the substance is delivered to the cancer cells (1)
- the antibody does not bind to other cells so they are not harmed (1)
4
Triple onlyHigher tier
[2 marks]Give two uses of monoclonal antibodies other than treating disease.
Show mark scheme
- diagnosis, e.g. pregnancy tests (1)
- in laboratories to measure levels of hormones / chemicals in blood or detect pathogens (1)
- in research to locate / identify specific molecules in a cell or tissue using a fluorescent dye (1)
- Max 2
5
Triple onlyHigher tier
[2 marks]Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using monoclonal antibodies to treat disease.
Show mark scheme
- advantage: target specific cells / chemicals so other cells are not harmed (1)
- disadvantage: create more side effects than expected / not yet as widely used as hoped (1)