[Synthetic peptide antigens for medical cell biology]

The research in cell biology and medical sciences have been advanced through the use of antibodies specifically reactive with cellular proteins. In addition to conventional polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, a third type of antibodies has come wide spread use within the past five years. Synthetic peptide antigens have been shown to elicit antibodies that can react with full length protein containing that peptide. Such antibodies are directed against a specific region of the protein chosen in advance by the investigator and so have a predetermined specificity. In basic research, these antibodies are usefull in identifying the protein product to particular cells or subcellular organelles and purifying the protein by immunoaffinity chromatography techniques. In medicine, such antibodies may provide reagents for passive vaccination, antitoxin therapy and targetted immunotherapy of neoplasia.