Anti-CD8, clone MEM-31, FITC (Monoclonal) [Mouse]

MON1102 recognizes a conformationally-dependent epitope of CD8, a cell surface glycoprotein found on most cytotoxic T lymphocytes that mediates efficient cell-cell interactions within the immune system. The CD8 T cell coreceptor (monomer approx. 32-34 kDa) is expressed as alpha/beta heterodimer on majority of MHC I-restricted conventional T cells and thymocytes and as alpha/alpha homodimer on subsets of memory T cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes, NK cells and dendritic cells. Regulation of CD8 beta level on T cell surface seems to be an important mechanism to control their effector function. Protein function: Integral membrane glycoprotein that plays an essential role in the immune response and serves multiple functions in responses against both external and internal offenses. In T-cells, functions primarily as a coreceptor for MHC class I molecule:peptide complex. The antigens presented by class I peptides are derived from cytosolic proteins while class II derived from extracellular proteins. Interacts simultaneously with the T-cell receptor (TCR) and the MHC class I proteins presented by antigen presenting cells (APCs). In turn, recruits the Src kinase LCK to the vicinity of the TCR-CD3 complex. LCK then initiates different intracellular signaling pathways by phosphorylating various substrates ultimately leading to lymphokine production, motility, adhesion and activation of cytotoxic T- lymphocytes (CTLs). This mechanism enables CTLs to recognize and eliminate infected cells and tumor cells. In NK-cells, the presence of CD8A homodimers at the cell surface provides a survival mechanism allowing conjugation and lysis of multiple target cells. CD8A homodimer molecules also promote the survival and differentiation of activated lymphocytes into memory CD8 T-cells. [The UniProt Consortium]