Monoclonal antibodies to intermediate filament proteins: diagnostic specificity in orbital pathology

T D Lindquist1, J C Orcutt, A M Gown

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.

Intermediate filaments derived from different cell types are antigenically distinct. Monoclonal antibodies to human intermediate filament proteins can, therefore, be used as tissue-specific reagents capable of distinguishing cell type in poorly differentiated neoplasms. We report a case demonstrating the specificity of antiintermediate filament protein antibodies in establishing a difficult orbital diagnosis of esthesioneuroblastoma.