CD6
MIM.186720 11q13
CD6 belongs to ancient scavenger receptor superfamily. It is an adhesion molecule mediating the binding of developing thymocytes with thymic epithelial cells.
Its binding to CD166 (ALCAM) is essential for stable T cell-antigen presenting cell contact and for T cell proliferation.
Expression:
low levels on immature (cortical) thymocytes
high levels on mature (medullary) thymocytes
mature T cells
B cell subset (B1a cells)
CNS cells
Therpeutics:
Antibodies to CD6 are used to deplete T cells from bone marrow transplants to prevent graft versus host disease.