The mouse monoclonal antibody recognizes CD1b，a 44kDa type I glycoprotein associated with beta2-microglobulin. It is expressed on dendritic cells，Langerhans cells，thymocytes，and T acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. The CD1 multigene family encodes five forms of the CD1 T-cell surface glycoprotein in human，designated CD1A，1B，1C，1D and 1E. CD1，a type 1 membrane protein，has structural similarity to the MHC class I antigen and has been shown to present lipid antigens for recognition by T lymphocytes. Constitutive endocytosis of CD1B molecules and the differential sorting of MHC class II from lysosomes separate peptide- and lipid antigen-presenting molecules during dendritic cell maturation. CD1B is also expressed in interdigitating cells.
