A novel monoclonal antibody specific for lymphatic endothelium.
The difficulty of identifying and differentiating lymphatic and blood microvessels in tissue sections can be overcome by a monoclonal antibody specific for lymphatic endothelium. Unfortunately, the only known antibody also reacts with the endothelium of some blood vessels. The technique of double immunization (passive, with an antiserum to blood endothelium, and active, with a suspension of lymphatic endothelial cells) was, therefore, used to increase the chances of recognizing specific lymphatic antigens by the mouse immune system. The monoclonal antibody obtained, LyMAb, a G1 immunoglobulin, reacted strongly with the endothelium of bovine thoracic duct, mesenteric collecting vessels and lymphatic vessels of gallbladder and lymph nodes and moderately with those of the intestinal wall. Blood vessels (intercostal arteries, azygos vein and blood microvessels of all organs tested) were consistently negative. The antibody was species-specific and did not react with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. Cross-reactivity was limited to some connective tissue fibres and scattered cells in the lymph node parenchyma, intestinal villi and hepatic lobules.
Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Medicina Molecolare, University of Siena, Italy.
E
E
Weber
P
P
Lorenzoni
N
N
Cavina
A
A
Rossi
G
G
Sacchi
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004729:Endothelium, Lymphatic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013045:Species Specificity
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens