Structures on the cell surface. Update from the fifth international workshop on human leukocyte differentiation antigens

✍ Scribed by Nora G. Singer; Robert F. Todd; David A. Fox

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 359 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780370820

✦ Synopsis

What is the value of the CD classification of leukocyte surface antigens?

Monoclonal antibody technology has led to the identification of a large number of leukocyte surface structures over the past 15 years. More importantly, the antibodies themselves have proven to be powerful tools for understanding the function and structure of these antigens. Many of these molecules now have defined roles in cell signaling, adhesion, and regulation of inflammatory processes. An in-depth understanding of the function of these molecules is essential to defining their importance in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Hopefully, many of these structures will ultimately be suitable targets for new pharmacologic and biologic therapeutic agents. A large number of the leukocyte surface markers have been classified in the CD nomenclature.

With the number of CD antigens now well in excess of 100, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember the identity of the specific structures in each CD cluster. In some ways, the assignment of more colorful or descriptive names to individual antigens is more compelling. Nevertheless, it is clear that the CD classification system is necessary to avert chaos in the rapidly expanding field of immunology. It has provided a mechanism for determining that investigators working with different antibodies in laboratories scattered around the world are, in fact, working with reagents to