CD8a MicroBeads
Description Rat CD8a MicroBeads have been developed for positive selection or depletion of cytotoxic T cells from lymphoid organs, blood, or other tissues. CD8a MicroBeads recognize the immunoglobulin-like domain of the CD8α chain, which is expressed as a heterodimer with CD8β on TCRα/β+ and TCRγ/δ+ cytotoxic T cells and on most thymocytes. As a homodimer of two CD8α chains, the CD8 antigen is expressed on most NK cells, a major fraction of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, on some activated CD4+CD8+ double-positive T cells, and on CD8+ T cells from athymic rats. CD8a is also expressed by a T cell subset with regulatory functions. Applications Thymocytes or mature T cells isolated with CD8a MicroBeads can be used for in vitro analysis1 or in vivo reconstitution2–4 of T cells, MHC restriction, tolerance induction, and cytokine expression experiments. Functionality of the isolated cells has been shown by several adoptive transfer experiments. Transfer of isolated CD4+ and CD8a+ T cells into irradiated recipients results in donor-specific acceptance to heart transplants2 or type V collagen-induced tolerance to lung allografts3. Furthermore, autoimmunity and induction of tolerance after xenogeneic thymus transplantation was studied by adoptive transfer of T cells separated by MACS® Technology.4 Columns For positive selection: MS, LS, XS, or autoMACS™ Columns; for depletion: LD, CS, D, or autoMACS Columns.		Figure 1 Isolation of CD8a+ cells from rat spleen using CD8a MicroBeads, a MidiMACS™ Separator, and an LS Column.