Immunoanatomic dissection of the human urinary tract by monoclonal antibodies.

The immunoanatomy of the human kidney and urinary tract has been analyzed by a panel of mouse anti-human monoclonal antibodies that define specific domains and structures. The differentiation antigens detected by these monoclonal antibodies represent a series of glycoproteins characteristic of different cell types. They differ from the blood group antigens and appear to be distinct from other antigens previously described within the kidney or urinary tract. The antigens recognized by these monoclonal antibodies represent an immunohistologic dissection of the human nephron. These antibodies have a broad range of potential applications in studying embryogenesis and pathogenesis of nonneoplastic and neoplastic diseases of the human kidney and urothelium.