The antibody reacts with 58 kDa molecule, a member of the scavenger receptor superfamily, expressed on thymocytes and all mature T lymphocytes. It also expressed on a small subset of mature B lymphocytes ( B1a cells ) which is expanded during fetal life, and in several autoimmune disorders, as well as in some B-CLL .CD5 may serve as a dual receptor which provides inhibitiry signals in thymocytes and B1a cells and acts as a costimulatory signal receptor. CD5-mediated cellular interaction may influence thymocyte maturation and selection. CD5 is a phenotypic marker for some B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (B-CLL, mantle zone lymphoma , hairy cell leukemia, etc). The increase of blood CD3+/CD5- T cells correlates with the presence of GVHD.