Flow Cytometry analysis of human PBMCs, using ABflo® 450 Rabbit anti-Human/Monkey CD45 mAb (A25195), APC Rabbit anti-Human CD66b mAb (A26616), ABflo® 488 Rabbit anti-Human CD4 mAb (A26597), PE/Cyanine7 Rabbit anti-Human/Monkey CD8a mAb (A27308) and ABflo® 700 Rabbit anti-Human/Monkey CD19 mAb (A27165). The staining clearly distinguished between positive and negative cell populations.
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. The major protein isoforms of this gene differ by the presence or absence of a transmembrane domain and thus differ in being a membrane-anchored or secreted protein.