The present invention provides recombinant antigen-binding regions, antibodies and functional fragments thereof that are specific for GM-CSF, which plays an integral role in various disorders or conditions. These antibodies, accordingly, can be used to treat, for example, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Antibodies of the invention also can be used in the diagnostics field, as well as for further investigating the role of GM-CSF in the progression of various disorders. The invention also provides nucleic acid sequences encoding the foregoing antibodies, vectors containing the same, pharmaceutical compositions and kits with instructions for use.