Anti-mouse CD8 Chain monoclonal antibody reacts with the mouse CD8 chain. The CD8 Chain is also named Ly-3. The CD8 chain associates with the CD8 chain to form the CD8 / heterodimer on MHC class I restricted T-cells (cytotoxic T cells) and most thymocytes . Since a small subset of T cells (IEL cells) express CD8 / homodimers rather than CD8 / heterodimers, investigators should use an antibody directed against the CD8 chain (CL168B, clone CT-CD8a) to definitively label mouse CD8 cells. This antibody is suitable for use in flow cytometry.