CD7 Monoclonal Antibodies

It is now a decade since the prototype CD7 monoclonal antibody (Mab) 3A1 was described (Haynes, Eisenbarth, and Fauci, 1979). At this time ten years ago it was first noted that 3A1+ cells respond more vigorously upon stimulation with lectins than 3A1− ones, suggesting that this Mab identifies a large functionally distinct set of T cells. Mab 3A1 and two other Mabs, 4A and CL1-3, were designated as the CD7 cluster at the First Leucocyte Typing Workshop. Since then many CD7 Mabs have been produced, some of which are listed in Table 18.1.