Monoclonal antibodies to human amnion.

Mouse hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies to human amnion were established. The reactivities of eight of these monoclonal antibodies (GB1, GB3, GB4, GB5, GB6, GB9, GB10 and GB11) on human skin and term extra-embryonic tissues, which included reflected amniochorions, basal plates, placentae, chorionic plates and umbilical cords, are reported. GB1, GB4, GB5, GB6, GB9 and GB11 showed various reactivity patterns on the epithelial cells of amnion, chorion and skin at different stages of differentiation. In addition, GB9 and GB11 showed extracellular reactivities; GB9 detected chorionic villi which were usually surrounded by fibrinoid and GB11 reacted with fibrinoid structures in the placentae and chorion laeve. GB10 recognized connective tissues in fetal mesenchyme and adult dermis. This study demonstrates the expression of many shared antigens between tissues derived from the extra-embryonic ectoderm and adult skin. These monoclonal antibodies will provide useful tools for further investigations of epithelial differentiation and transformation.