T cells belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocyte types, such as B cells and NK cells by the presence of a special receptor on their cell surface that is called the T cell receptor (TCR). The abbreviation "T", in T cell, stands for thymus since it is the principal organ for their development. Several different subsets of T cells (Cytotoxic T cells, Helper T cells, Memory T cells, Regulatory T cells, Natural Killer T cells) have been described, each with a distinct function.
ART2
a T-cell differentiation marker expressed by the majority of mature peripheral T cells in the rat. PMID: 16195877
CD1a
T cell surface antigen
CD1d
natural killer T cell (NKT cell) marker.
CD2
early T cell marker.
CD3
CD4
helper T cell marker.
expressed on surface of T helper cells.
CD5
CD7
the most sensitive and specific T-cell deletion marker that can be used for routine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens. PMID: 11511839
a differentiation marker that identifies multiple CD8 T cell effector subsets. PMID: 12594257.
CD8
cytotoxic T cell marker.
CD25 (interleukin 2 receptor alpha)
T-cell activation marker.
PMID: 14760073
CD72
expression is not restricted to B lineage
cells in mouse strains expressing the CD72(b) allele; instead, a
population of T lineage cells in these mice also expresses CD72.
PMID: 8995186
CD134 (OX40)
T-cell activation marker.
PMID: 14760073,
PMID: 12786817
CD150
T cell activation marker.
PMID: 15135295
CRTAM
one of the most highly expressed surface
markers of activated human CD8 T cells and NKT cells.
PMID: 16300832
FOXP3
regulatory (suppressor) T cell marker.
a selective marker for a subset of adult
T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma.
PMID: 16193085
FT2
identifies the feline analog of the human
T8/Leu-2, murine Ly-2 molecules expressed by cytotoxic/suppressor
T cells.
PMID: 3081644
GPCA
a mouse T-cell marker distinct from Thy-1.
PMID: 6970179
T cell activation marker. PMID: 8430217
HML-1
an exquisite marker for intraepithelial T
cells and primary intestinal and cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.
PMID: 2316623
HT23A
a T-cell marker in the horse.
PMID: 3069011
Leu-22
a useful marker for lymphoid cells,
preferentially of T-cell origin.
PMID: 2785753
Ly-2
T cell lineage specific marker.
PMID: 3886788
Ly-m22
the only antigen besides I-J so far known to
be restricted to suppressor T cells.
PMID: 6187835
MICG
a 225,000 molecular weight glycoprotein that
is present in the plasma membrane of adult thymocytes and
peripheral T cells, as well as in embryonic prothymocytes, but
absent in granulocytes and B lymphocytes.
PMID: 2428732
MRC OX 8
labels all peripheral T cells that are
unlabeled by the previously described W3/25 monoclonal antibody.
PMID: 6967416
MRC OX-22
distinguishes two sets of T helper cells that
have different functions.
PMID: 2440674
OX40
a T cell activation marker that may mediate
T-B cell interactions.
PMID: 8228223
PD-1 (Programmed death-1)
a marker of germinal center-associated T
cells and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. PMID:
16819321
RT6
T-cell differentiation marker.
PMID: 11220625,
PMID: 7547715,
PMID: 3263942
TCR (T cell receptor)
Thy-1 (CD90)
a small GPI-anchored protein that is
particularly abundant on the surface of mouse thymocytes and
peripheral T cells.
PMID: 15356100
TSA-2 (Thymic shared Ag-2)
a cell surface marker associated with T cell
differentiation and activation.
PMID: 10227982