Description
Product Characteristics: The 53-6.7 antibody reacts with the 32-34 kDa alpha subunit of mouse CD8, known as CD8a or CD8 alpha. CD8a can form a homodimer (CD8 alpha-alpha), but is more commonly expressed as a heterodimer with a second chain known as CD8b or CD8 beta. CD8 acts as a co-receptor in antigen recognition and subsequent T cell activation that is initiated upon binding of the T cell receptor (TCR) to antigen-bearing MHC Class I molecules. The cytoplasmic domains of CD8 provide binding sites for the tyrosine kinase lck, facilitating intracellular signaling events that lead to T cell activation, development, and cytotoxic effector functions. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) play an important role in inducing cell death of tumor cells, as well as cells infected by virus, bacteria or parasites.The 53 -6.7 antibody is widely used as a phenotypic marker for mouse CD8a expression on cytotoxic T cells, thymocytes, as well as on certain cell types that do not also express the TCR, including some NK cells and lymphoid dendritic cells.
Target Information: The CD8 antigen is a cell surface glycoprotein found on most cytotoxic T lymphocytes that mediates efficient cell-cell interactions within the immune system. The CD8 antigen acts as a coreceptor with the T-cell receptor on the T lymphocyte to recognize antigens displayed by an antigen presenting cell in the context of class I MHC molecules. The coreceptor functions as either a homodimer composed of two alpha chains or as a heterodimer composed of one alpha and one beta chain. Both alpha and beta chains share significant homology to immunoglobulin variable light chains. This gene encodes the CD8 alpha chain. Multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2011]