A chick neural antigen identified by monoclonal antibodies

A monoclonal antibody technique has been used to locate a neural antigen which appears to be involved in developmental processes. Hybridomas were prepared using chick embryo sympathetic neurons as an immunogen and one clone, H3, was found to secrete antibodies which bound to neurons of the peripheral and central nervous system. The antibodies bound to both membrane and cytoplasmic sites of neurons but only to cytoplasmic sites of glial cells. When added to newly prepared cultures of embryonic sympathetic neurons the H3 antibodies impaired both neurite outgrowth and long-term neuronal viability. No such effect was seen when the antibodies were added to established, differentiated neurons.