Monoclonal autoantibodies: an approach to studying autoimmune disease.

Hybridoma technology has paved the way for new insights into mechanisms of autoimmunity and autoimmune disease. Autoantibodies and autoantigens can now be studied at the level of the individual molecule. The specificity of the autoimmune reaction, as well as its pathogenetic role in disease, may be more accurately assessed. Monoclonal autoantibodies which bind to red blood cells, IgG, DNA, RNA and ribonucleoprotein complexes have been prepared by several groups of investigators. The initial molecular and functional characterization of these immunoglobulins and their corresponding antigens is described.