Species- and Organ-Specificity and Expression of 105 kD Liver Cell Membrane Glycoprotein Antigen during Rat Development

Abstract

Species- and organ-specificity of a rat liver cell antigen recognized by a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) from a hybridoma clone RM-1 was investigated immunohistologically and immunoelectronmicroscopically. In rats, the MoAb reacted specifically with liver cell membrane, but not with other organs tested, including the brain, thymus, heart, lung, stomach, spleen, kidney, small and large intestines, testis and muscle. Furthermore, it was found that liver from the human, monkey, mouse, rabbit, guinea pig, dog, cat, cattle and chicken showed no specific reaction with this MoAb. The results indicated that the antigen was organ- and species-specific and designated as rat liver cell-specific membranous antigen (RLSA). RLSA was expressed scarcely along cell junctions of immature hepatocytes at the 19th day of pregnancy. This increased gradually, and was expressed along all surface membranes after birth.