The HIT3a monoclonal antibody specifically binds to the human CD3ε-chain, a 20 kDa subunit of the CD3/T cell antigen receptor complex found on 70-80% of normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes and 60-85% of thymocytes. Studies from the HLDA Workshop show that this antibody can be mitogenic for T lymphocytes. The CD3 complex plays a role in signal transduction during antigen recognition by the T cell receptor. HIT3a antibody does not stain intracellular CD3 unlike the other CD3-specific clone, UCHT1 (Cat. No. 555330/550368).
This antibody is routinely tested by flow cytometric analysis. Other applications were tested at BD Biosciences Pharmingen during antibody development only or reported in the literature.