CD8

CD8 is a co-receptor for MHC class I restricted antigen recognition.

The current antibodies are reactive only with fresh or frozen tissue only, except clones C8/144B and 1A5, which is reactive with paraffin-embedded tissue1. Staining is cytoplasmic with membrane accentuation.

Immunohistochemical expression

• suppressor and cytotoxic T cells.

• At a low level by NK cells

• large granular lymphocyte leukaemia

• some some T-ALL/T-LBL

Diagnostic utility

Staining for CD8 generally needs to be used in conjunction with CD4.

Expressed by T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma

References

1Leong A S-Y, Cooper K and Leong FJ W-M. Manual of diagnostic antibodies for immunohistology. 2nd edition, 2003

©SMUHT/PW Bishop