Abstract

A large proportion of tumour‐associated antigens seem to be determined by carbohydrate structures. Advances in the study of the antigenicity of cell‐surface carbohydrates have been hampered by the absence of advanced monoclonal hybridoma technology comparable to that available for the study of protein antigens. Monoclonal antibodies have been raised against a carbohydrate epitope (43–9F) that is associated with the proliferative features of squamous lung carcinomas. These were used in turn to generate anti‐idiotype antibodies with homology to 43–9F. The method and its possible applications are described, together with a procedure to detect rare cell membrane variants within large populations.