CAIE A-Level Biology AS 11.2 Antibodies and Vaccination Questions

Practise how antibody structure enables specific binding, how hybridomas produce monoclonal antibodies, and how vaccination builds protection at individual and population levels.

Exam points

Relate variable-region shape to antigen specificity and hinge flexibility to antibody binding.
Sequence hybridoma production from antigen exposure and B-cell fusion through screening and cloning.
Explain how monoclonal antibodies detect disease or target treatment to specific cells or antigens.
Classify immunity as active or passive and natural or artificial using vaccination or antibody transfer.
Explain how vaccine antigens trigger memory cells and long-term protection against later infection.
Discuss programme success using coverage, herd immunity, access, funding and pathogen variation.

Covered syllabus points

11.2.1—Antibody molecular structure and functions 11.2.2—Hybridoma method 11.2.3—Monoclonal antibody uses 11.2.4—Types of immunity 11.2.5—Vaccines 11.2.6—Vaccination programmes

[Maximum number: 1]

Which statement about the properties of the antigen-binding sites in different antibody molecules is correct?

They are located on the light chains only.

They have a hinge region to give flexibility for different antigens.

They have binding sites for receptors on phagocytes.

They have variable amino acid sequences for different antigens.

[Maximum number: 1]

The diagram shows a stage in monoclonal antibody production.

Figure for Question 2 — CAIE A-Level Biology AS

T-lymphocytes

B-lymphocytes

antigens

antibodies

[Maximum number: 1]

Monoclonal antibodies are now being used to treat some human diseases.

What explains why monoclonal antibodies are suitable for this purpose?

1 They can divide by mitosis to produce the large numbers of antibodies required for treatment.

2 They are specific to a particular antigen.
3 They can be modified so that they do not act as antigens themselves.

1, 2 and 3

1 only

2 and 3 only

2 only

[Maximum number: 1]

Which type of immunity does a baby have at birth?

active artificial

active natural

passive artificial

passive natural

[Maximum number: 1]

Whooping cough is a highly infectious disease of the gas exchange system, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

Which method provides protection to infants against whooping cough and reduces the chance of developing this disease later?

a short course of more than one type of antibiotic

a six-month course of one type of antibiotic

injections of antibodies specific to Bordetella pertussis

injections of antigens from Bordetella pertussis bacteria

[Maximum number: 1]

Measles is an infectious disease caused by a virus.
The graph shows the number of cases of measles each year in a country before and after a vaccine was introduced.

Figure for Question 6 — CAIE A-Level Biology AS

What could have caused the decrease in the number of cases of measles after vaccination was introduced?

vaccines provided artificial active immunity in people

vaccines provided artificial passive immunity in people

fewer people are able to act as hosts for the virus

✓

key
✓ = yes
$\boldsymbol{x}=$ no

All question bank results loaded

Covered syllabus points

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6