The search for tumour markers was intensified with the advent of monoclonal antibody technology. To date no tumour specific markers have been found. Despite this, monoclonal antibodies have helped to identify cells in terms of their origin and function and therefore added a different dimension to studies of both benign and malignant disease processes. Advances in molecular biology have made cooperation between scientists and clinicians in all branches of medicine essential in order to piece together a more complete picture of any disease. This article describes the production and characterisation of two epithelial specific monoclonal antibodies (CAM5.2 and CAM17.1) with potential clinical value by a surgeon temporarily transposed to a laboratory environment.