The Collaborative International Dictionary
Wiktionary
a. (context biochemistry English) genetically engineered from a single clone; used especially of a protein or antibody n. (context immunochemistry English) something produced from a single clone, especially a monoclonal antibody
WordNet
adj. forming or derived from a single clone
Wikipedia
Monoclonal cells are defined as a group of cells produced from a single ancestral cell by repeated cellular replication. Thus they can be said to form a single " clone". The process of replication can occur in vivo, or may be stimulated in vitro for laboratory manipulations. The use of the term typically implies that there is some method to distinguish between the cells of the original population from which the single ancestral cell is derived, such as a random genetic alteration, which is inherited by the progeny.
The most common usages of this term are:
- Monoclonal antibodies: A single hybridoma cell, which by chance includes the appropriate V(D)J recombination to produce the desired antibody, is cloned to produce a large population of identical cells. In informal laboratory jargon the monoclonal antibodies isolated from cell culture supernatants of these hybridoma clones (hybridoma "lines") are simply called "monoclonals".
- Monoclonal neoplasms (tumors): A single aberrant cell which has undergone an oncogenic event reproduces itself into a large cancerous mass.
- Monoclonal Plasma Cells: Also called Plasma cell dyscrasia, which a single aberrant plasma cell which has undergone an event and reproduces itself, in some cases is cancerous.
Usage examples of "monoclonal".
For three years, he had been growing brain tumors in cats and trying to develop monoclonal antibodies to fight the tumor cells.
We have a monoclonal antibody containing a radiopaque heavy metal devised by a contributing radiologist.
Cancer cells give rise to both normal and cancer cell types when the cancer stem cell, which is maintaining a monoclonal line, is proliferating.
A male could have a monoclonal daughter if gene techs used two X-gametes.
All of them, moving and singing in absolute and perfect monoclonal synchronicity, all echoing the exact same sound at once.
In the area of immune therapy, there have been some promising results from so-called monoclonal antibodies, like Rituxan, which train the immune system to recognize tumor cells.
In the smokehouses there, devotees were preparing racks of fish and slices of monoclonal protein from the fermenters.
Back before all the friendly microbes of today that cheerfully turn our garbage into high octane, nonpolluting fuel or churn out the monoclonal antibodies that cure everything from colds to cancer.
But if you know what you're looking for, like tetrodotoxin, say, because the deceased dropped dead at a sushi party, then there are some monoclonal antibodies tagged with either fluorescein or a radioactive marker that can pick the stuff up.
Radioactive nucleases, monoclonal antibodies, something to do with the linkage of proteins, nucleotides .
I don't know if it worked, but then he abruptly switched to monoclonal antibody technology.
Well, their stock’s still pretty high, in monoclonals, so maybe it’s true.