Final answer:
The problems with using monoclonal antibodies as therapeutic agents include immunogenicity, specificity, and cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have several problems when used as therapeutic agents:
- Immunogenicity: Since most mAbs are produced using mouse cells, the human immune system can recognize them as foreign and respond by producing neutralizing antibodies. To overcome this problem, humanized mAbs are created by genetically engineering the antibody in mouse B cells to have mostly human components.
- Specificity: Some mAbs may be too specific to be effective against infectious diseases, as they may only recognize certain strains of a pathogen. This can be addressed by using a combination of mAbs that target different strains.
- Cost: The production of mAbs is costly, which limits their use in treating microbial infections.