CD8a

CD8 is a cell surface receptor expressed either as a heterodimer with the CD8 beta chain (CD8 alpha/beta) or as a homodimer (CD8 alpha/alpha). A majority of thymocytes and a subpopulation of mature T cells and NK cell express CD8a. CD8 binds to MHC class 1 and through its association with protein tyrosine kinase p56lck plays a role in T cell development and activation of mature T cells. For mature T-cells, CD4 and CD8 are mutually exclusive, so anti-CD8, generally used in conjunction with anti-CD4. It is a useful marker for distinguishing helper/inducer T-lymphocytes, and most peripheral T-cell lymphomas are CD4+/CD8-. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma is usually CD4+ and CD8-, and in T-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia, CD4 and CD8 are often co-expressed. CD8 is also found in littoral cell angioma of the spleen.

[T-cell surface glycoprotein CD8 alpha chain isoform 1; T-cell surface glycoprotein CD8 alpha chain; T-cell surface glycoprotein CD8 alpha chain; T8 T-cell antigen; T cell co-receptor; OKT8 T-cell antigen; T-cell antigen Leu2; Leu2 T-lymphocyte antigen; CD8 antigen, alpha polypeptide (p32); T-lymphocyte differentiation antigen T8/Leu-2; CD8a molecule; T-lymphocyte differentiation antigen T8/Leu-2; CD_antigen: CD8a]