CD78 is a protein expressed on the surface of some immature and all mature B-cells. It is considered a pan-B cell antigen.[1] Other names include Cdw78, Ba antigen, Leu21 and LO-panB-a.[2]
With flow cytometry, it can be used to detect B cells during many stages of their development.[2] It is one of relatively few markers usefully expressed on plasma cells, and when combined with detection of markers such as CD22, can be used to determine the relative proportion of plasma cells.[3]
References
^ abSlack JL, Armitage RJ, Ziegler SF, Dower SK, Gruss HJ (July 1995). "Molecular characterization of the pan-B cell antigen CDw78 as a MHC class II molecule by direct expression cloning of the transcription factor CIITA". International Immunology. 7 (7): 1087–92. doi:10.1093/intimm/7.7.1087. PMID8527406.