CD81 (D5O2Q) Rabbit mAb

CD81 belongs to the tetraspanin family, which is characterized by four transmembrane domains, one short extracellular domain (ECL1), and one long extracellular domain (ECL2) (1-3). Tetraspanins interact with a variety of cell surface proteins and intracellular signaling molecules in specialized tetraspanin enriched microdomains (TEMs) where they mediate a range of processes including adhesion, motility, membrane organization, and signal transduction (3). CD81, like other tetraspanins, is enriched in exosomes (4). Many research studies demonstrate a role for CD81 in lymphocyte signaling (5-7). CD81 is also a well-characterized receptor for Hepatitis C Virus and facilitates the entry of the virus into target cells (8,9). 1.Oren, R. et al. (1990) Mol Cell Biol 10, 4007-15. 2.Levy, S. et al. (1991) J Biol Chem 266, 14597-602. 3.Hemler, M.E. (2005) Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 6, 801-11. 4.Escola, J.M. et al. (1998) J Biol Chem 273, 20121-7. 5.Levy, S. et al. (1998) Annu Rev Immunol 16, 89-109. 6.Levy, S. and Shoham, T. (2005) Nat Rev Immunol 5, 136-48. 7.Jones, E.L. et al. (2011) Biochem Soc Trans 39, 506-11. 8.Pileri, P. et al. (1998) Science 282, 938-41. 9.Bartosch, B. et al. (2003) J Biol Chem 278, 41624-30.