| Primary Identifier | IPR042414 | Type | Family |
| Short Name | CD8B |
| description | CD8 on thymocytes and thymus-derived T cells consists of disulfide-linked CD8alpha and CD8 beta chains, which are transmembrane proteins containing N-terminal Ig domains, extended and glycosylated hinge and stalk regions and transmembrane and cytoplasmic portions []. CD8alphabeta plays important roles in thymic selection, CD8 T-cell differentiation, and antigen recognition []. CD8 also can be expressed as a CD8alphaalpha homodimer. Both CD8alphaalpha and CD8alphabeta bind similarly to MHC class I molecules. However, CD8alphabeta, but not CD8alphaalpha, associates with TCR/CD3, strengthens pMHC binding, and promotes CD8 association with lipid rafts and p56lck (lymphocyte-specific tyrosine kinase, lck) and hence TCR signaling via lck-mediated phosphorylation of CD3 ITAMs []. This entry represents CD8 beta. Disruption of the CD8 beta gene or deletion of the cytoplasmic tail of CD8 beta results in severe reduction of positive selection of CD8 T cells [, ]. |
