Ten murine monoclonal antibodies have been produced that are specific for bovine milk lipoprotein lipase. One monoclonal antibody, bLPL-mAb-7, inhibited completely the apolipoprotein C-II (apo-C-II)-dependent enzymic hydrolysis of trioleoylglycerol in a phospholipid-stabilized emulsion, but had no effect on the hydrolysis of the water-soluble substrate p-nitro-phenylacetate. Four times more bLPL-mAb-7 was required to achieve 50% inactivation of lipoprotein lipase activity when the enzyme was preincubated with excess apo-C-II. Disruption of the binding of a dansyl-labeled apo-C-II peptide to lipoprotein lipase by bLPL-mAb-7 was demonstrated by resonance energy transfer, both in the presence and absence of lipid. This antibody thus appears to recognize the apo-C-II binding site of lipoprotein lipase. In addition, bLPL-mAb-7 also inhibited the lipoprotein lipase activity of human post-heparin plasma.