A Monoclonal Antibody to Ruminant Fibrinogen Produced through Immunization with Ovine Peripheral Blood Leukocytes

By immunizing BALB/c mice with peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) we have obtained a monoclonal antibody (MAb) named Co.lC9D10, specific for the gamma chain of ruminant fibrinogen. This MAb immunoprecipitates a molecule of apparent molecular weight of 55/65 kDa under reducing conditions and of around 300 kDa under nonreducing conditions. Co.lC9D10 recognized the gamma chain of fibrinogen by immunoblotting techniques and blood vessel plasma from paraffin embedded tissues by immunocytological techniques. Flow cytometry analysis showed that fibrinogen appears adhered to monocytes and granulocytes being eliminated through EDTA treatment of the cells. This phenomenon explains why PBL used as immunogen was able to induce an MAb against fibrinogen.