Monoclonal antibodies to porcine zona pellucida that block the initial stages of fertilization.

Zona pellucida (ZP) is thought to be of utmost biological importance in the early stages of fertilization and implantation. Current hybridoma technology was used to produce monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against specific antigens to porcine ZP. Two monoclonal antibodies (4F2 and 2D9) were raised that reacted against ZP antigens shared by human and porcine ZP. These antibodies were shown to block fertilization of human oocytes in in vitro fertilization (IVF). It is likely that MAb 4F2 recognized a protein epitope localized on the outer surface of ZP. These antibodies may be quite useful immunologic probes for studying the precise mechanisms of the early events of fertilization in mammals.