Production of monoclonal antibodies to hepatitis B surface and core antigens, and use in the detection of viral antigens in liver biopsies.

Hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies to HBsAg and HBcAg were prepared from immunized mice. An antibody capture radioimmunoassay was used to detect and select appropriate hybrids for propagation and cloning. The advantages of this assay were discussed. The resulting monoclonal antibodies were compared with conventional polyclonal antisera for the detection of virus antigens in liver tissue and found to give excellent results.