Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Visualizing Antigen Specific CD4+ T Cells using MHC Class II Tetramers
Published on: March 6, 2009
Direct visualization of antigen-specific T cells using peptide-MHC-class I tetrameric complexes
Norbert Meidenbauer1, Thomas K Hoffmann, Albert D Donnenberg
1Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
Peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) class I tetrameric complexes ("tetramers") are proving invaluable as fluorescent reagents for enumeration, characterization, and isolation of peptide-specific T cells and have afforded many advantages over previous techniques, particularly the ability to directly quantify and phenotype antigen-specific T cells with minimal in vitro manipulation. Recently, various technical peculiarities of tetramers have led to modifications within this important immunoassay. The current manuscript details potential pitfalls and provides guidance for interpretation of results.
Peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) class I tetrameric complexes ("tetramers") are proving invaluable as fluorescent reagents for enumeration, characterization, and isolation of peptide-specific T cells and have afforded many advantages over previous techniques, particularly the ability to directly quantify and phenotype antigen-specific T cells with minimal in vitro manipulation. Recently, various technical peculiarities of tetramers have led to modifications within this important immunoassay. The current manuscript details potential pitfalls and provides guidance for interpretation of results.
