CD1A - Marker for antigen presenting cells

CD-markers (Cluster of Differentiation) are antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens and antibodies detecting specific CD antigens are used in immunohistochemistry, mainly to distinguish different types of immune cells. The CD1A gene encodes an antigen-presenting protein that binds self and non-self lipid and glycolipid antigens and presents them to T-cell receptors on natural killer T-cells. The CD1A molecule is expressed in cortical thymocytes, epidermal Langerhans cells and other dendritic antigen presenting cells. CD1A antibodies are mainly used as markers of Langerhans cells in the skin and for diagnostics of certain lymphoma/leukemia and to characterize various forms of histiocytosis.