Solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the measurement of surface antigens expressed on intact lymphocytes

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay was developed for the measurement of lymphocyte surface antigens. The assay was performed in microplates, using cells that were initially fixed to the wells by air drying. The method was used for the measurement of Thy-1, Lyt-1,2,3, IL-2-R, H-2Kb and DR antigens on the surface of mouse thymus, spleen and bone marrow cells, mouse cell lines CTLL, EL-4 and DA-1 and human thymocytes and consisted of sequential incubations with rat or mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against the above antigens, rabbit anti-rat or goat anti-mouse IgG and 125I-protein A. The assay permits the processing of large numbers of samples, is easy to perform, reliable and highly specific.