Flow Cytometric Detection of Proliferation-Associated Antigens, PCNA and Ki-67

The rapid evolution of monoclonal antibody (MAb) technology has resulted in an ever-growing repertoire of proteins becoming accessible for study using immunohistochemical techniques. Nuclear antigens represent a class of proteins of increasing significance and diversity; they are intimately associated with important cellular functions, such as cell-cycle regulation and DNA replication and repair. The control of growth of any tissue is a complex series of coordinated mechanisms. Deregulation of this control is a fundamental feature of most common neoplasms. Knowledge of proliferative activity in human tumors should give important information for evaluating both biological behavior and potential treatment strategies.