PRODUCTION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES AGAINST RT2 ANTIGENS OF THE RAT AND THE DEFINITION OF A NEW LOCUS, RT9, LINKED TO RT2

Efforts were made to generate hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies against the RT2a, RT2b and RT3a antigens of the rat. While a number of hybridomas from each of five different fusions was found to produce antibodies against the RT2b antigen, no hybridoma producing antibody to the RT2a antigen could be detected among those generated in six different fusions. No stable hybridoma secreting antibody specific for the RT3a antigen could be established in three different fusions, although one positive culture was detected. In the course of this work, a monoclonal antibody against a new antigenic specificity was detected in one of the two strain combinations in which the anti-RT2b antibodies were raised. The locus controlling this antigen, which was designated RT9, maps 4.9 (2.2-12.6) cM from RT2.