Cluster of differentiation

[2][3] The CD nomenclature was proposed and established in the 1st International Workshop and Conference on Human Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens (HLDA), held in Paris in 1982.

[4][5] This system was intended for the classification of the many monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generated by different laboratories around the world against epitopes on the surface molecules of leukocytes (white blood cells).

While using one CD molecule to define populations is uncommon (though a few examples exist), combining markers has allowed for cell types with very specific definitions within the immune system.

[citation needed] CD molecules are utilized in cell sorting using various methods, including flow cytometry.

Human immunodeficiency virus binds CD4 and a chemokine receptor on the surface of a T helper cell to gain entry.

Recently, the marker CD47 was found to have anti-phagocytic signals to macrophages and inhibit natural killer (NK) cells.