Monoclonal antibodies reveal complex structure in the membrane skeleton of Tetrahymena

Twelve monoclonal antibodies were raised that are specific for the membrane skeleton of Tetrahymena. Five were directed against T. pyriformis and seven were directed against T. thermophila. Some cross-reactivity between species was found. Each monoclonal antibody recognized one of the three major components of epiplasm, i.e. the bands A, B, and C identified in electrophoretic separations of epiplasmic proteins. It was found, using these antibodies, that the epiplasmic proteins A, B and C have overlapping but independent distributions within the cell.