Description
Product Characteristics: The CD8a (CD8 alpha) subunit of CD8 T cell coreceptor is expressed in CD8 alpha/beta heterodimers on majority of MHC I-restricted conventional T cells and thymocytes and in CD8 alpha/alpha homodimers on subsets of memory T cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes, NK cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. Regulation of CD8 beta level on T cell surface seems to be an important mechanism to control their effector function. Assembly of CD8 alpha/beta but not alpha/alpha dimers is connected with formation or localization to the lipid rafts. Recruiting triggered TCR complexes to these membrane microdomains as well as affinity of TCR to MHC I is modulated by CD8, thereby affecting the functional diversity of the TCR signaling.
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]