CD1d Tetramer

CD1d molecules are non-classical MHC molecules that are characterized as non-polymorphic, conserved among species and possessing narrow, deep, hydrophobic ligand binding pockets. These binding pockets are capable of presenting glycolipids and phospholipids to Natural Killer T (NKT) cells. NKT cells represent a unique lymphocyte population that co-express NK cell markers and a semi-invariant T cell receptor (TCR). They are implicated in the regulation of immune responses associated with a broad range of diseases. Tetrameric CD1d-lipid complexes bind to TCRs of NKT cells of a particular specificity (as determined by the lipid ligand used), allowing identification and enumeration of antigen-specific CD1d-restricted NKT cells by flow cytometry. Additional co-staining for intracellular cytokines e.g. IFN-gamma/IL-2, and/or surface markers e.g. CD69, can yield functional data for the antigen-specific subset.

ProImmune provides fluorescently labeled human and mouse CD1d tetramers pre-loaded with alpha-Galactosyl Ceramide, or empty for loading with your ligand of choice. Additionally we offer a CD1d negative control tetramer, mock-loaded with carrier only (no ligand loaded) that will not bind to NKT cells. The use of this negative control reagent in conjunction with a ligand loaded CD1d tetramer will allow low frequency positive populations to be accurately quantified.