Antisera against small neurotransmitter-like molecules.

Antisera were produced against three types of small neurotransmitter-like molecules: indolealkylamines, catecholamines and amino acid derivatives such as GABA. The specificity of the antisera were evaluated using radioimmunological or immunoenzymatic competition tests between a radiolabelled ligand or conjugated hapten, and analog molecules from the same metabolic pathway. The antibody site was characterized by the ratios of cross-reactivity and the affinity constants. On the basis of these in vitro studies, each immune response was found to be specific for the target molecule.