24. Production of monoclonal antibodies by hybridoma technology requires

(A) splenocytes
(B) osteocytes
(C) hepatocytes
(D) thymocytes

Production of monoclonal antibodies by hybridoma technology requires splenocytes. This multiple-choice question tests knowledge of the core cellular component in hybridoma technology, a cornerstone technique in biotechnology for generating monoclonal antibodies. The correct answer is (A) splenocytes, as they provide the antibody-producing B cells essential for fusion with myeloma cells.

Option Analysis

Splenocytes (A): Splenocytes from immunized mice include B lymphocytes that produce antigen-specific antibodies; these fuse with myeloma cells to form hybridomas capable of indefinite antibody secretion.

Osteocytes (B): Osteocytes are bone cells involved in skeletal maintenance and mineral homeostasis, lacking any role in antibody production or immune responses.

Hepatocytes (C): Hepatocytes function in liver metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis like albumin, but they do not produce antibodies or participate in hybridoma fusion.

Thymocytes (D): Thymocytes are immature T cells maturing in the thymus for cell-mediated immunity, not humoral antibody production required for hybridomas.

Hybridoma Technology Overview

Hybridoma technology, pioneered by Köhler and Milstein in 1975, involves immunizing mice with antigens, harvesting splenocytes, fusing them with HGPRT-deficient myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol, and selecting hybrids in HAT medium. Surviving hybridomas are screened via ELISA for specific monoclonal antibody secretion, enabling unlimited production for diagnostics, therapeutics, and research.

Hybridoma technology revolutionized production of monoclonal antibodies by enabling precise, unlimited yields of identical antibodies from a single B-cell clone. This method requires splenocytes as the key immune cells fused with myeloma cells, distinguishing it from irrelevant options like osteocytes or hepatocytes. For students and researchers in molecular biology, understanding this process is vital for exams and lab applications.

Core Steps in Hybridoma Technology

• Immunize mice with target antigen to activate B cells in spleen.

• Isolate splenocytes (containing plasma B cells) and fuse with immortal myeloma cells.

• Select hybridomas in HAT medium; non-fused myeloma dies, B cells exhaust naturally.

• Clone and screen for antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Why Splenocytes Are Essential

Splenocytes house antibody-secreting B lymphocytes post-immunization, providing specificity; myeloma adds immortality. This fusion yields hybridomas producing pure monoclonal antibodies for cancer therapy (e.g., rituximab) and diagnostics.

Common Exam Misconceptions

Options like thymocytes confuse T-cell roles, while hepatocytes and osteocytes test non-immune cell knowledge. Focus on spleen’s humoral immunity hub for hybridoma technology success.