Redistribution and unmasking of Annexin V binding sites in apoptotic Raji cells

The complement receptor type 2 (CR2) associates with other surface antigens and proteins and its redistribution and/or unmasking occurs through still unknown mechanism(s). The data presented demonstrate that high-density cultured CR2-positive cells undergo apoptosis and that the redistribution and unmasking of Annexin V binding sites occurs in a fashion similar to the redistribution and unmasking of CR2. Therefore, apoptotic and non apoptotic cells from the same lineage may share a similar mechanism for the exposition of neo-surface markers.