A portion of amino acids 23-119 were used as the immunogen for the CD3e antibody.
This antibody recognizes the epsilon chain of CD3, which consists of five different polypeptide chains (designated as gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, and eta) with MW ranging from 16-28kDa. The CD3 complex is closely associated at the lymphocyte cell surface with the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). Reportedly, CD3 complex is involved in signal transduction to the T cell interior following antigen recognition. The CD3 antigen is first detectable in early thymocytes and probably represents one of the earliest signs of commitment to the T cell lineage. In cortical thymocytes, CD3 is predominantly intra-cytoplasmic. However, in medullary thymocytes, it appears on the T cell surface. CD3 antigen is a highly specific marker for T cells, and is present in majority of T cell neoplasms.
