Description: Mouse CD244, also known as 2B4, is a receptor belonging to the CD2 family of proteins involved in non-MHC dependent cytotoxicity. Expression is found on natural killer (NK) cells and many NKT cells and CD8+ cells. In C57BL/6 mice, two splice variants exist that differ in the length of the cytoplasmic domain. The long form functions in an inhibitory manner through signaling through SHP-2, while the short form functions in an activating manner. The ligand for CD244 is CD48 which is expressed on all hematopoietic cells. Recent data suggests that CD244 interactions with CD48, but not CD2 interaction with CD48, is essential for IL-2–driven expansion and activation of murine NK cells.
Reports show CD244 expression can discriminate hematopoietic progenitors. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are highly purified as CD150+CD244-CD48- cells while non-self-renewing multipotent hematopoietic progenitors (MPP) are CD244+CD150-CD48- and the most restricted progenitors are CD48+CD244+CD150-.
eBio244F4 was generated against cell lines expressing CD244. It reacts with the C57BL/6 but not Balb/c due to polymorphisms present in the immunoglobulin V domain of the protein. The epitope recognized by eBio244F4 is different from that of 2B4; therefore these antibodies do not cross-block the binding to the respective epitopes.