How can mAbs be used to study cytology?

[Joy Abramson]

Several weeks ago I posted a message asking for information about 
monoclonal antibodies, thanks to all who replied! I also recently posted 
a message on the bionet.immunology newsgroup, but nobody replied :(

I'm a student doing a project on mAbs, and I had a hard time finding 
answers to certain questions.  The books about mAbs seem to focus on 
treating disease (especially cancer) using the monoclonal antibodies. 
However, my project focuses on cytology and how to study cells using 
mAbs.  

If the amazing thing about mAbs is that, using them, for the first time 
cells can be studied inside the body using the mAb as a flag, then, my 
questions are:

How does this help us learn about the characteristics of living things? 
(responds to stimulus, movement, reproduction, exchanges material with 
the environment, maintains homeostasis, composition)

How is it that a mouse cell will form a hybridoma with a human cell and 
reproduce? A mouse cell and human cell shouldn't be able to reproduce 
together, should they? And what does this tell us about cytology? Also, 
what does this have to do with the hierarchy of living things 
(population, species)?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using mAbs to study cytology? 
(What aspects of cytology are mAbs particularely useful for studying?)

What is the contribution mAbs have made to our knowledge of cytology?

And anything else that has to do with studying cytology using mAbs would 
be appreciated.

If you could help me with any of these questions, I'd really appreciate a 
response sent both to email and posted to the newsgroup, becuase I can't 
print emails I get. And I will be eternally grateful to any help I get, 
becuase I'm having a really hard time with this assignment.. 

Thanks in advance,

Joy Abramson