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The production of monoclonal antibodies requires the deliberate induction of cancer in mice.
The mice are used to produce antibodies and tumour cells. There are guideline for the use of mice in these procedures to minimise any suffering but some animal welfare groups oppose using mice in this way.
The use of monoclonal antibodies for direct monoclonal antibody therapy is not without significant risk.
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Key terms in this lesson
- antibody
- A Y-shaped protein, made of four polypeptide chains with variable regions complementary to a specific antigen, produced by B plasma cells.
- monoclonal antibody
- An antibody produced from a single clone of B cells, identical in structure and specific to one antigen.
More in Cell Recognition and the Immune System
- Monoclonal Antibodies
- Drug Delivery and Therapy
- Medical Diagnosis
- Pregnancy Testing
- Producing Monoclonal Antibodies
- Active, Passive, Natural and Artificial Immunity
- Vaccination
- Herd Immunity
All 30 lessons in Cell Recognition and the Immune System · All AQA AS-level Biology topics