MyPathologyReport
September 24, 2023

CD3 is a protein that is normally made by two types of specialized immune cells, T cells and NK cells. Most lymphomas that start from T and NK cells, including peripheral T cell lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, also make CD3.

Two common tests used to look for CD3 in a tissue sample are immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Immunohistochemistry is performed on a tissue sample attached to a glass slide. The slide is then examined under a microscope. Flow cytometry uses a special machine to count and analyze the number of cells in a tissue sample that were making CD3.

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