What are monoclonal antibodies?

• A. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by many different B-cell clones and target diverse pathogens.
• B. Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies produced from a single B-cell clone; they can be used for diagnostics and targeted therapies (e.g., cancer treatment).
• C. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by T-cells to directly kill infected cells.
• D. Monoclonal antibodies are small molecules that stimulate antibody production.

Answer: (B)

Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies produced from a single B-cell clone, so every antibody in the preparation binds the same specific feature (epitope) on an antigen. This uniformity gives highly precise and reproducible binding, which is ideal for both diagnostics and targeted therapies. In diagnostics, their consistent binding helps accurately detect a particular protein. In therapy, they can be designed to attach to a specific protein on cancer cells or block signals that promote tumor growth, delivering a targeted treatment with fewer off-target effects. They are not produced by T cells, and they are proteins—not small molecules. Monoclonal antibodies are typically made using hybridoma technology or recombinant methods, and they can be engineered to be human or humanized to reduce immune reactions in patients.