CD8a Monoclonal Antibody (RPA-T8), APC, eBioscience™, Invitrogen™

Description

Description: The RPA-T8 monoclonal antibody reacts with the human CD8a molecule, an approximately 32-34 kDa 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 cells express CD8a. CD8 binds to MHC class I and through its association with protein tyrosine kinase p56lck plays a role in T-cell development and activation of mature T cells. Applications Reported: The RPA-T8 antibody has been reported for use in flow cytometric analysis. Applications Tested: This RPA-T8 antibody has been pre-titrated and tested by flow cytometric analysis of normal human peripheral blood cells. This can be used at 5 μL (0.06 μg) per test. A test is defined as the amount (μg) of antibody that will stain a cell sample in a final volume of 100 μL. Cell number should be determined empirically but can range from 10^5 to 10^8 cells/test. Excitation: 633-647 nm; Emission: 660 nm; Laser: Red Laser. Filtration: 0.2 μm post-manufacturing filtered.

Cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8), a type I transmembrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin family of receptors, plays an integral role in signal transduction, and T cell differentiation and activation. CD8 is predominantly expressed on T cells as a disulfide-linked heterodimer of CD8alpha and CD8beta, where it functions as a co-receptor, along with T cell receptor (TCR), for major histocompatibilty complex class I (MHC-I) molecules; whereas its counterpart, CD4, acts as a co-receptor for MHC-II molecules. CD8 exists on the cell surface, where the CD8alpha chain is essential for binding to MHC-I. CD8 is also expressed on a subset of T cells, NK cells, monocytes and dendritic cells as disulfide-linked homodimers of CD8alpha. Ligation of MHC-I/peptide complexes presented by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), triggers the recruitment of lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck), which leads to lymphokine production, motility and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activation. Once activated, CTLs play a crucial role in the clearance of pathogens and tumor cells. Differentiation of naive CD8+ T cells into CTLs is strongly enhanced by IL-2, IL-12 and TGF-beta1.