Pacific Blue(TM) anti-mouse CD8a

CD8, also known as Lyt-2, Ly-2, or T8, consists of disulfide-linked alpha and beta chains that form the alpha(CD8a)/beta(CD8b) heterodimer and alpha/alpha homodimer. CD8a is a 34 kD protein that belongs to the immunoglobulin family. The CD8 alpha/beta heterodimer is expressed on the surface of most thymocytes and a subset of mature TCR alpha/beta T cells. CD8 expression on mature T cells is non-overlapping with CD4. The CD8 alpha/alpha homodimer is expressed on a subset of gamma/delta TCR-bearing T cells, NK cells, intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, and lymphoid dendritic cells. CD8 is an antigen co-receptor on T cells that interacts with MHC class I on antigen-presenting cells or epithelial cells. CD8 promotes T cell activation through its association with the TCR complex and protein tyrosine kinase lck.