Normal human urothelium and tumors of urothelial origin were analyzed with a panel of seven mouse monoclonal antibodies that identify surface antigens of cultured bladder cancer cell lines. Three categories of antigens were defined on the basis of differential expression on normal urothelium versus bladder tumors. Om5 (a category 1 antigen) is a highly restricted, differentiation antigen detected in the normal urothelium of 50-60% individuals. No other normal cell type in Om5- or Om5+ individuals expresses Om5. The incidence of Om5 expression in superficial bladder tumors is significantly higher (88%) than in normal urothelium, whereas its expression in invasive or metastatic tumors is far lower (20%), suggesting Om5 gain/loss in bladder tumors. Paired biopsies of normal urothelium and bladder tumors from the same individuals have shown Om5 induction in the superficial bladder tumors of Om5- individuals and Om5 loss in invasive bladder cancers of Om5+ individuals. Category 2 antigens (T43, T138, T23) are not expressed by normal urothelium or most superficial bladder tumors but are detected on a high proportion of invasive or metastatic bladder tumors, indicating that category 2 antigens are associated with late stages of tumor progression. Category 3 antigens (T16, T87, J143) provide lineage markers for normal or neoplastic cells of urothelial origin, being found on normal urothelium and virtually all bladder tumors. Thus, differential expression of category 1 and 2 antigens divide bladder tumors into distinct subsets, and these subsets correlate with pathological and clinical features of the disease.