CD8 - T cytotoxic cell marker

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 CD8A gene encodes for a surface glycoprotein that acts as a co-receptor with the T-cell receptor on the T lymphocyte to recognize antigens. The co-receptor functions as either a homodimer composed of two alpha chains or as a heterodimer composed of one alpha (CD8A) and one beta chain (CD8B). CD8 is expressed in a subset of lymphocytes, cytotoxic T cells. CD8 antibodies are used in diagnostics of lymphoma/leukemia and to characterize various inflammatory cell infiltrates.