CD Marker Antibodies

Think B lymphocytes just produce antibodies? Think again! Although, of course, B cells are vital for the humoral immune response, many studies in recent years have begun to uncover antibody-independent actions of B cells: regulating T cells and thus also playing a part in cellular immunity. For example, B cell depletion therapy, a new treatment for autoimmune disorders, has been found to influence T cells in addition to antibody titers.

Cluster of differentiation (CD) antigens are membrane proteins in nature that are predominantly expressed on the leukocyte surface. However diminutive sums of CD antigens have also been reported to be expressed on other cell types which include the endothelial, stem, and dendritic cells along with erythrocytes.