APC/Cyanine7 Rabbit anti-Human/Monkey CD8a Monoclonal Antibody for Flow Cytometry - P01732

Core Product Specifications and Parameters

Biological Background: CD8a Function and Localization

• T-cell surface glycoprotein CD8 alpha chain (CD8A) is an integral membrane glycoprotein that functions as a coreceptor for MHC class I molecules. It interacts with the T-cell receptor (TCR) and MHC I on antigen-presenting cells, recruiting the Src kinase LCK to trigger intracellular signaling pathways essential for T-cell activation and cytotoxic responses.
• CD8A can exist as either a disulfide-linked heterodimer with CD8B or as a homodimer. Heterodimers are typical on thymus-derived T cells, while homodimers are expressed on NK cells, memory T cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes, monocytes, and dendritic cells.
• This coreceptor mechanism enables cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to recognize and eliminate infected or tumor cells, playing a pivotal role in adaptive immunity against external and internal threats.
• In NK cells, CD8A homodimers promote survival and facilitate conjugation to multiple target cells, enhancing serial lysis.
• CD8A is expressed on a subset of natural killer cells, memory T cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, the latter upon viral stimulation such as herpes simplex virus-1, highlighting its role in early immune defense.
• The protein undergoes post-translational modifications including disulfide bond formation, glycosylation, and palmitoylation, which are critical for membrane localization and function. Alternative splicing yields both membrane-bound and secreted isoforms.
• Subcellular localization includes the cell membrane and extracellular secretion; a signal peptide directs its synthesis into the secretory pathway.

Experimental Guidance and Technical Tips

• For flow cytometry, a typical starting dilution of 1:50 to 1:200 is often effective; perform titration on the relevant cell type to determine the optimal concentration.
• Use appropriate compensation controls and protect the conjugated antibody from prolonged light exposure to maintain fluorophore stability.
• Stain live cells in ice-cold staining buffer without permeabilization, as CD8a is a cell surface antigen.
• Include isotype control or congenic marker staining for accurate gating of CD8+ populations, especially when analyzing T-cell subsets or NK cells.
• This antibody has been validated to recognize both human and cynomolgus monkey CD8a. Cross-species users should confirm reactivity in their specific experimental system.

CamelBio: Your One-Stop Sourcing Bridge

CamelBio is your comprehensive IVD raw-material partner, streamlining procurement from concept to clinic. This anti-CD8a antibody serves as a critical reagent for T-cell immunity research, flow cytometry-based diagnostics, and immune monitoring. Beyond antibodies, CamelBio supplies validated antibody pairs, bulk ancillary reagents, and custom sourcing for rare targets to support your development pipeline.