How are Monoclonal Antibodies Formed

1) An antigen is injected into a mouse 2) The mouse naturally produces lymphocytes, which produce antibodies specific to the antigen 3) Spleen cells which produce the lymphocytes are removed during a small operation 4) The spleen cells are fused with human cancerous white blood cells called myeloma cells to form hybridoma cells which divide indefinitely 5) These hybridoma cells divide and produce millions of monoclonal antibodies specific to the original antigen