A library of monoclonal antibodies to Torpedo cholinergic synaptosomes.

A library of monoclonal antibodies was generated to the cholinergic synaptosome. The immunogen was a preparation of highly purified synaptosomes from Torpedo electric organ. One hundred forty-one hybridoma cell lines were generated from the fusion of a single mouse. Tests reveal these cells produce antibodies with a vast range of neuronal specificities. The initial screen for specificity of antibody production was solid phase radioimmune binding to the original, highly purified synaptosome preparation. Subsequent tissue specificity tests have indicated that most antibodies are synaptosome-specific amongst the fish tissues tested: brain, liver, and purified synaptic vesicles. Less than 11% cross-react with liver. Many antibodies cross-react with frog and rat CNS. Localization within the frog and rat nervous tissue has revealed a vast array of antibody staining patterns. Some antibodies stain in a synaptic fashion. A few stain a restricted set of mammalian CNS neurons. Others define a broader set of CNS neurons. These Torpedo antibodies promise to be valuable probes with which to describe the molecular cell biology of the nervous system, of neurons in general, and of cholinergic neurons in particular.