Invitrogen™ CD103 (Integrin alpha E) Monoclonal Antibody (2E7), Functional Grade, eBioscience™

CD103, also known as ITGAE or Integrin alpha E, is a molecule that non-covalently associates with integrin beta 7 to form a heterodimeric integral membrane protein. This protein is part of the integrin family, characterized by an alpha chain and a beta chain. Specifically, CD103 includes a 150 kDa alpha chain and a 120 kDa beta chain, with the alpha integrin undergoing post-translational cleavage in the extracellular domain to yield disulfide-linked heavy and light chains. CD103 is primarily expressed on mucosa-associated T lymphocytes, intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), and activated cells, as well as a subset of TGF beta-1 cells. It is preferentially found in human intestinal IELs, where it plays a role in adhesion and may serve as an accessory molecule for IEL activation. CD103 binds to epithelial cell antigen E-cadherin, mediating the homing of lymphocytes to the intestinal epithelium. In peripheral blood and lymphoid organs, CD103 is expressed by 0.5 to 2% of resting lymphocytes, and its expression can be upregulated in vitro by stimulating human T cells with mitogens. CD103 is also expressed by hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and some chronic B cell lymphocytic leukemias. The CD103 antibody stains a few bone marrow cells and, rarely, peripheral blood lymphocytes. Diseases associated with CD103 dysfunction include hairy cell leukemia and splenic marginal zone lymphoma.