Hermes-1, and -3, and other Monoclonal Antibodies to Human CD44

Hermes -1,-2 are rat IgG antibodies against epitopes 1 and 2 of HCAM (CD44) cell adhesion molecule. Involved in Lymphocyte interactions with high endothelial venules during lymphocyte homing and serves as an hyalouronate-binding molecule thought to be involved in migration of leukocytes through tissue spaces.

Hermes-3 is an unusual mouse IgG2a anti-CD44 MAb which recognizes an extracellular sequence in the stalk of CD44, proximal to the hyaluronate (HA) binding globular domain but distal to the site of variant exon insertion. Hermes-3 blocks HA-independent lymphocyte binding to mucosal (appendix Peyer's patch) high endothelial venules (HEV) in vitro, by a mechanism which remains unknown. The antibody works well in paraffin section immunohistology.