Monoclonal antibodies in fish immunology: identification, ontogeny and activity of T- and B-lymphocytes

The current status on the antibodies that have been produced against teleos t fish immunoglobulins, immunoglobulin-bearing cells (B-cells), thymocytes and T-cells is reviewed. An updated list of monoclonal antibodies is report ed together with their antigen specificity, their use in the detection of c ross-reacting cells, and their eventual use as markers of fish leucocyte su bpopulations. The evidence obtained with monoclonal antibodies on the ontog eny of lymphoid cells and functions of lymphocyte subpopulations is present ed. The possibility to create a common nomenclature for fish monoclonal ant ibodies is discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.