Cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones specific for Moloney leukemia virus (MoLV)-derived tumor cells were generated by placing limiting numbers of C57BL/6 responder cells into mixed leukocyte-tumor cell microcultures. Under appropriate conditions (presence of stimulating tumor cells, accessory cells, and T cell growth factor), such cloned CTL could readily be expanded to provide large numbers of homogeneous, highly cytolytic CTL populations for further characterization. Using four target-cell types, three specificity patterns were observed: one reactive with the syngeneic MoLV-derived tumor only, one cross-reactive with an allogeneic MoLV-derived tumor, and one cross-reactive with normal allogeneic cells. Subclones derived from these three types of clones exhibited a high degree of stability in terms of lytic activity and specificity over a 4-mo period of observation. Three clones analyzed by flow cytofluorometry using monoclonal antibodies were all found to be of the Lyt-1+2+ phenotype. Furthermore, lysis of target cells by all of six clones tested was inhibited by anti-H-2Db (but not by anti-H-2Kb) monoclonal antibodies, demonstrating H-2Db-restriction at the clonal level.