Characterization of an anti-peptide antibody that recognizes the murine analogue of the human T cell antigen receptor-T3 delta-chain.

The T cell antigen receptor consists of two disulfide-linked 40,000 to 45,000 dalton glycoproteins (alpha and beta) that contain variable and constant regions analogous to those found in immunoglobulin molecules. The antigen receptor on murine T cells is noncovalently associated with four additional nonpolymorphic structures. We describe an antibody that binds one of these molecules, a 26,000 dalton glycoprotein homologous to the human T3 delta-chain. This antibody immunoprecipitates the entire antigen receptor complex from a T cell hybridoma and from normal murine thymocytes. It represents the first reagent that can immunoprecipitate the antigen receptor complex on all murine T cells.