CD Markers - General

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CD Markers

General

Author: Nat Pernick, M.D., (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 28 January 2011, last major update November 2010
Copyright: (c) 2002-2010, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

Background
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● CD: cluster designation or cluster of differentiation; a protocol to identify and investigate cell surface molecules
● Nomenclature proposed in 1982 at First International Workshop and Conference on Human Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens (HLDA)
● A classification system for monoclonal antibodies generated by laboratories worldwide against cell surface molecules, initially on leukocytes, but now also from other cell types
● Data is collated and analyzed by cluster analysis based on pattern of binding to leukocytes or other cell types
● Must be at least two monoclonal antibodies for each antigen
● “w" indicates that the CD is not well characterized or is represented by only one monoclonal antibody
● Current CD markers range from CD1 to CD363
● Interpretation should be based on cellular distribution of staining (i.e. membranous, cytoplasmic, nuclear), proportion of positively stained cells, staining intensity and cutoff levels

Physiology
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● CD molecules have various functions, including receptors or ligands; also cell adhesion, antigen presentation
● Although commonly used by pathologists to characterize cells, they most likely also have an important (although sometimes unknown) function in cell physiology

Uses by pathologists
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● Used in immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry to characterize unknown cell types or to better understand known cell types

Additional references
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● Lists of CD markers: ExPASy Proteomics Server, Protein Reviews On the Web, HCDM website

● Information on each HLDA workshop:

1st workshop: Presse Med 1984;13:2311, Bernard: Leucocyte Typing: Human Leucocyte Differentiation Antigens Detected by Monoclonal Antibodies (Springer 1984)
2nd workshop: Reinherz: Leukocyte Typing II (Springer 1985)
3rd workshop: Leukemia 1987;1:231, McMichael: Leukocyte Typing III (Oxford University Press 1987)
4th workshop: Blood 1989;74:1448, Am J Pathol 1989;135:420, Knapp: Leukocyte Typing IV (Oxford University Press 1990)
5th workshop: J Immunol 1994;152, Schlossman: Leukocyte Typing V (Oxford University Press 1995)
6th workshop: Bull World Health Organ 1997;75:385, Kishimoto: Leukocyte Typing VI (Oxford University Press 1998)
7th workshop: J Immunol Methods 2003;275:1, Tissue Antigens 2001;58:425, J Leukoc Biol 2001;70:685, Mason: Leukocyte Typing VII (Oxford University Press 2002)
8th workshop: Blood 2005;106:3123
9th workshop: Immunol Lett 2010 Oct 7 [Epub ahead of print], HCDM website

End of CD Markers > General

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