Antigen Background
CD5 antigen is reported to be expressed on 95% of thymocytes and 72% of peripheral blood lymphocytes. In lymph nodes, the main reactivity is observed on T cells. CD5 antigen is also expressed by many T cell leukemias, lymphomas, activated T cells and on a subset of B cells located primarily in the mantle zones of normal lymph nodes. CD5 antigen expression is also reported in T cell acute lymphocytic leukemias (T-ALL), some B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias (B-CLL) as well as B and T cell lymphomas.
Disclaimer
CD5 is recommended for the detection of specific antigens of interest in normal and neoplastic tissues, as an adjunct to conventional histopathology using non-immunologic histochemical stains.