Rat Anti- Mouse CD8a/Ly- 2- PE/CY5.5(0.1 mg)

In the mouse, CD8 exists in two forms: (i) a CD8 heterodimer composed of an alpha chain (CD8 alpha/Lyt-2) and a beta chain (CD8 beta/Lyt-3); and (ii) a homodimer of two alpha chains. The heterodimer is found on the surface of essentially all thymocytes and the �suppressor/cytotoxic� subpopulation of mature T lymphocytes. Subsets of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes express CD8alpha without CD8beta. It has been suggested that CD8⁺beta- T cells mature extrathymically, while development of the CD8alpha⁺ beta⁺ population of T cells is thymus-dependent. CD8 acts as a coreceptor with MHC Class I-restricted T cell receptors in antigen recognition and positive selection of MHC class I-restricted CD8⁺ T cells. In vivo and in vitro treatment with the 53-6.7 monoclonal antibody effectively depletes CD8a⁺ cells. The 53-6.7 monoclonal antibody also blocks allogeneic help specific for class I MHC antigens and T cell responses to IL-2. ^1-8