A panel of monoclonal antibodies against the prion protein proves that there is no prion protein in human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells.

Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative diseases that are fatal. The study of these unique diseases in China is hampered by a lack of resources. Amongst the most important resources for biological study are monoclonal antibodies. Here, we characterize a panel of monoclonal antibodies specific for cellular prion protein by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescent staining, flow cytometry, and western blotting. We identify several antibodies that can be used for specific applications and we demonstrate that there is no prion protein expression in human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells (HPDC).