[Monoclonal antibodies in diagnosis and therapy]

The discovery of monoclonal antibodies has brought about a revolution in diagnostic and therapeutic. New antigens have been discovered on cell surfaces allowing the fine classification of cell lineages. Leukemia cells and tumors can now be characterized accurately. Regarding in vitro diagnostics monoclonal antibodies have allowed uniform standardization and a rational approach to hormone polymorphism. Monoclonal antibodies are now tested as pharmacological drugs. They have proved their use in the prevention and cure of rejection in bone marrow and kidney transplantation.