Monoclonal antibodies against a differentiated retinal cell population

Monoclonal antibodies specific for ganglion cells in the embryonic chicken neural retina

Monoclonal antibodies have been produced which recognize antigens on the surface of embryonic chicken neural retina cells. Two monoclonal antibodies, obtained from separate fusions, have been shown by fluorescence-activated cell-sorter analysis to bind to antigens on a subpopulation of neural retina cells. Immunohistochemical methods demonstrate that both monoclonal antibodies bind to the nerve fiber and inner plexiform layers of the embryonic neural retina. These monoclonal antibodies also bind to cell bodies and neurites of cultured retinal neurons and therefore selectively recognize antigens localized to the surface ganglion cells. One of the monoclonal antibodies binds to a 260 kdalton polypeptide, which has been shown to be developmentally regulated by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, as it is not detected in late embryonic neural retina. The second monoclonal antibody appears to bind to different antigens in neural and non-neural tissue. In liver extracts the monoclonal antibody recognizes a trypsin-sensitive antigen, but the antibody reacts with trypsin-resistant molecules in neural tissue. This monoclonal antibody may therefore bind a glycolipid component in the neural retina, although this remains to be determined. These antibodies can be used to obtain cell populations highly enriched in retinal ganglion cells.

Specific labelling of ganglion cells in the cat retina by a monoclonal antibody

The introduction of monoclonal antibody technology has made it possible to produce specific markers for various retinal cell types. We report here on a monoclonal antibody, AB5, which specifically labels the retinal ganglion cells of the cat. The labelled cells could be categorized as either alpha, beta or gamma subtype based on morphological criteria. This antibody will be useful for studies of the morphology, localization and synaptic connectivity of ganglion cells in the cat retina.

Heterogeneity of chicken photoreceptors as defined by hybridoma supernatants. An immunocytochemical study

Immune cells producing antibodies to chicken photoreceptor membranes were fused with myeloma cells and supernatants of the resulting hybridoma cells were used to test various types of photoreceptor cells in the chicken retina by means of immunocytochemistry. A polyclonal antibody raised against the protein component of bovine rhodopsin was also used. Outer segments of various photoreceptor cells were labelled by the following antibodies: rods were positive with the anti-rhodopsin antibody, both members of the double cones were stained by supernatant A1, while one type of single cones (designated as type A) was specifically labelled by supernatants A5, B3 and D6. The other type of single cones (type B) reacted with anti-rhodopsin and supernatant A1. The results indicate that there are distinct differences in the molecular structure of various photoreceptor outer segments.

Identification of novel neural- and neural retina-specific antigens with a monoclonal antibody

A fluorescence-activated cell sorter screening method has been used to identify hybridomas that secrete monoclonal antibodies that can bind to viable subpopulations of embryonic chicken neural retina cells. One monoclonal antibody, C1H3, recognizes two nervous tissue-specific polypeptides that exhibit distinct developmental patterns. The monoclonal antibody reacts with a 140-kilodalton (kDa) polypeptide that is present at early stages of development (day 7) but is detected by immunoblotting in only negligible amounts at later times (day 17). In contrast, a 170-kDa polypeptide is first detectable by immunoblotting at day 10 and is the predominant C1H3 antigen at day 17. Analysis of proteolytic fragments of the two proteins indicates that the polypeptides are distinct molecules that share a common antigenetic determinant. Both polypeptides are neural-specific; the 140-kDa polypeptide appears to be retina-specific, while the 170-kDa polypeptide is also present in other areas of the nervous system. Metabolic labeling of retina cells in situ at early embryonic stages reveals only the synthesis of the 140-kDa polypeptide. When such cells are dissociated and labeled in vitro, they synthesize primarily the 170-kDa polypeptide. Thus, the differential rate of synthesis of these two polypeptides is controlled by environmental factors that possibly include cell-cell contacts or an unknown systemic factor. The 140-kDa polypeptide is a unique marker for early neural retina cells.

Identification of sub-populations of chick neural retinal cells by monoclonal antibodies: a fluorescence activated cell sorter screening technique

An assay was developed which identifies monoclonal antibodies recognizing the cell surfaces of sub-populations of chick retinal cells which survive in culture. Antibodies from hybridoma culture supernatants were bound to monolayers of retina cells followed by a fluorescent secondary antibody. The quantitative fluorescence analysis ability of the fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) was used to determine the fluorescence intensity associated with viable single cells and the frequency with which these cells appear in the total population. Hybridomas were generated which define both overlapping and non-overlapping retina cell populations. The cytotoxic activity of many of the monoclonal antibodies was determined on the FACS by propidium iodide exclusion, and the identity of various sub-populations was demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining of retina sections.