The Patient: Figaro

• What type of macromolecule is an antibody?

• What shape is a typical antibody?

Protein

• What is an antigen?

• How many antigens can the antibody below bind to?

Foreign Molecule

Figaro Activity Possible Antigens

Brain storm ways to test for possible allergies.

• Label 3 Petri Plates with initials, date, period, LB Agar, and TRIAL 1, 2 or 3 (depending on the plate).

• Cut the bottom off a large transfer pipet.

• Apply a slight suction by compressing the bulb of the pipet between your fingers.

• Use the transfer pipet to poke holes in the agar.

• Make 4 holes around the edge of the agar.

• Make 1 hole in the center of the agar.

1

2

3

4

C

• In your notebook, draw a Petri plate and label which antigen goes into each outside hole.

Allergen 1: ?

Allergen 3: ?

Allergen 2: ?

Allergen 4: ?

1

23

4

• On your Petri plate drawing in your notebook, label the center hole as Figaro’s Blood Serum.

Figaro’s Blood Serum: Antibodies

C

• Use a sterile 1 mL pipet to add antigen/ antibody solution to each hole in the agar.

• Add enough antigen serum so the solution is at the top of the agar hole.

• Use a different sterile 1 mL pipet for each antigen solution.

• Fill the center hole with Figaro’s Blood Serum (antibody solution).

• Repeat these steps for all 3 trials/ Petri plates.

• Cover all 3 Petri plates and leave undisturbed for 24 hours.

• Collect Petri plates.• Draw Petri plate results in

your notebook.• Write down observations• Form a data table in Excel.• Create numeric scale to

convert observations to data.

• Collect data from each trial.• Average the data from trials.

• A precipitin line will appear between one or more of the allergens and the blood serum.

Precipitin Lines

• Record results of each of the 3 trials using a numeric scale– 5 = strong precipitation; 0 = no precipitation

• Calculate average results for each antigen

• The brighter precipitin lines, the stronger the allergy.

Weak Allergy Strong Allergy

• This lab is an example of an Ouchterlony test.

• When antibodies diffuse in agar and bind with antigens, it causes agglutination, or a white precipitin line.

Agglutination = Precipitin Lines

• Make an individual data table in Google documents.

• On the Smart Board, add your group’s data to the table and make a class average data table on your Google spreadsheet below your individual data table.

• Post your individual data table, class average data table, and your REE PE PA three-paragraph conclusion on a new page for this lab on your Google Site.

• Results - Go back to the purposes of the lab.• Evidence - Numerical evidence.• Explanation - Go back to your hypothesis.• Possible Errors

– 2 examples of errors– Avoid future errors

• Practical Applications– Suggestions to patient/family.– Further testing– Value of this lab/test