Which statement about monoclonal antibodies is accurate?

Which statement about monoclonal antibodies is accurate?

• A. They are derived from multiple B-cell clones.
• B. They target a common antigen present in many pathogens.
• C. They are typically used in broad-spectrum vaccines.
• D. They are laboratory-produced antibodies with a single target specificity, produced by a cloned B-cell line.

Answer: (D)

Monoclonal antibodies are defined by one key feature: they come from a single B-cell lineage and bind to one specific antigenic site. In the lab, the antibody-producing B cell is cloned (or the antibody is expressed from a single, uniform cell line), producing a homogeneous product where every antibody molecule has the same binding site. That single-target specificity is the hallmark of monoclonal antibodies. This is why the statement is correct: it describes lab-produced antibodies with a single target specificity generated by a cloned B-cell line. If antibodies were derived from multiple B-cell clones, they would be polyclonal, consisting of a mixture that recognizes multiple epitopes. Monoclonals are not used to create broad-spectrum vaccines, since vaccines rely on stimulating the body's own immune response to a range of antigens, whereas monoclonals are passive therapies delivering a single, specific antibody. They may be used therapeutically to target a specific pathogen or cancer antigen, rather than targeting a common antigen across many pathogens.

Monoclonal antibodies are defined by one key feature: they come from a single B-cell lineage and bind to one specific antigenic site. In the lab, the antibody-producing B cell is cloned (or the antibody is expressed from a single, uniform cell line), producing a homogeneous product where every antibody molecule has the same binding site. That single-target specificity is the hallmark of monoclonal antibodies.

This is why the statement is correct: it describes lab-produced antibodies with a single target specificity generated by a cloned B-cell line. If antibodies were derived from multiple B-cell clones, they would be polyclonal, consisting of a mixture that recognizes multiple epitopes. Monoclonals are not used to create broad-spectrum vaccines, since vaccines rely on stimulating the body's own immune response to a range of antigens, whereas monoclonals are passive therapies delivering a single, specific antibody. They may be used therapeutically to target a specific pathogen or cancer antigen, rather than targeting a common antigen across many pathogens.