CD14 is a leucine-rich repeat-containing pattern recognition receptor with expression largely restricted to the monocyte/macrophage cell lineage. Research studies have shown that CD14 is a bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding glycoprotein, expressed as either a GPI-linked membrane protein or a soluble plasma protein. LPS induces an upregulation of GPI-linked CD14 expression, which facilitates TLR4 signaling and macrophage activation in response to bacterial infection. The 61D3 antibody is widely used to identify cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage.
