Monoclonal antibodies that detect differentiation surface antigens on human myelomonocytic cells.

We describe here the production and characterization of several new monoclonal antibodies that recognize differentiation antigens present on human cells of the myelomonocytic lineage. The lineage and the stage specificities of our reagents (myeloid-, monocytic-, and myelomonocytic-specific) were determined on the basis of their reactivity with human cell lines and with human peripheral blood and bone marrow cells. Cross-competition experiments demonstrated that some of the antibodies react with the same or closely associated antigenic determinants. Five antigens have been identified in this way: one present on myeloid, one on monocytic, and three on both myeloid and monocytic cells. The possible relationship of our antibodies with other established monoclonal antibodies is discussed, in addition to their use in the in vitro study of the differentiation pathways of human hemopoietic cells and in the characterization of leukemias.