A novel monoclonal antibody to the outer root sheath cells.

A novel monoclonal antibody to hair keratins (TYHF-1) which recognized a doublet of 43/44-kDa hair keratins in the immunoblot analysis was developed. TYHF-1 strongly reacted with the outer root sheath cells at the region of prekeratinization, the keratogeneous zone and the lower part of the isthmus portion in the indirect immunofluorescent examination. The cells of the inner root sheath and cuticle in the upper bulbar portion were also stained with this antibody. In addition, the tongue and nail matrix were also reacted with TYHF-1. However, TYHF-1 reacted with no epidermal keratins either in the indirect immunofluorescent examination or by immunoblot analysis using plantar epidermis. In addition, the cells of the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, the epithelia of the buccal mucosa, larynx, tonsil, oesophagus, liver, intestine, gallbladder and urinary bladder demonstrated no positive reaction.