CD8

Background

CD8 is a T cell marker expressed on cytotoxic / suppressive lymphocytes, as well as on natural killer cells, most thymocytes, blank cell subsets and bone marrow cells. Simultaneous expression or deletion of CD4 and CD8 in lymphoid populations is usually evidence of lymphoma. CD8 may or may not be expressed in most T-cell lymphoma / leukemia, but because mycosis fungoides is CD8 negative, CD8 expression may help to exclude mycosis fungoides. CD8 can hardly be expressed in Non blood lymphoma tumor (NHL).