Clone REA311 recognizes the murine CD6 antigen, a Single-pass type I membrane protein which is expressed on most CD4+CD8+ double-positive, CD4+ or CD8+ single-positive thymocytes, and at highest levels on mature CD3+ thymocytes. In marked contrast to human CD6, mouse CD6 has a long cytoplasmic tail that is not closely related to other proteins. CD6 functions as an adhesion molecule as well as costimulatory molecule for TCR-mediated T cell activation. In thymocytes that express heterogeneous TCR, CD6 increases occur as double-positive thymocytes are selected to a single-positive stage. In contrast, in thymocytes from TCR transgenic mice, CD6 is barely increased following selection, suggesting that as functional avidity increases, requirements for CD6-dependent co-stimulation decrease. During thymic development CD6-dependent signals may contribute both to thymocyte survival, and to the overall functional avidity of selection.

Additional information: Clone REA311 displays negligible binding to Fc receptors.