Monoclonal antibody (VOM2) specific for the luminal surface of the rat vomeronasal sensory epithelium.

Monoclonal antibodies were raised and selected for reactivity with the luminal surface of the rat vomeronasal organ. Among the monoclonal antibodies generated, the one named VOM2 showed specific immunoreactivity within the luminal surface of the rat vomeronasal sensory epithelium. The VOM2 antigen appeared weakly on the luminal surface at postnatal day 14 (P14). After P21, VOM2 immunoreactivity as strong as that in the adult vomeronasal organ was observed. Immunofluorescence staining using VOM2 antibody showed no reactivity on the luminal surface of the adult mouse or hamster vomeronasal organ. An immunoblotting analysis showed that the VOM2 antigen was a protein with a molecular weight of 24,500.