The present invention provides in one aspect novel fusion partner cells
that ectopically express one or more genes that alter the phenotype of a
hybrid cell made from a fusion of the fusion partner cell and a fusion
cell, hybrid cell lines produced using the fusion partner cells. The
invention in another aspect provides antibodies produced by certain
hybrid cell lines, and compositions containing one or a combination of
such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof. The invention also
provides in another aspect methods of using the antibodies or
antigen-binding fragments thereof for diagnosis and treatment of diseases
characterized by the antigens specifically bound by the antibodies.