Outline7 marksChallenge
A patient is bitten by a venomous snake and is immediately given an injection of antivenom, which contains antibodies that neutralise the venom. Several months later, the same patient receives a vaccine against tetanus.
(a) Outline the differences between the types of immunity provided by the antivenom injection and the tetanus vaccine. In your answer, you should compare active and passive immunity, and natural and artificial immunity.
(b) Using the example of snake venom, outline how monoclonal antibodies could be produced by the hybridoma method to treat venom poisoning. Relate the structure of antibodies to their function in neutralising toxins.
(c) Outline one way monoclonal antibodies can be used in diagnosis.