Lectins are extracts made from the seeds of plants which have blood group specificity, i.e., they are proteins that combine specifically with sugars and act as if they were IgM antibodies. Lectins are used in blood banking as antisera for antigen typing red cells.
Many lectins have apparent blood group specificity. The lectin that acts as anti-H is Ulex europaeus. Other useful lectins are Dolichos biflorus (anti-A1) and the peanut lectin, Arachis hypogea (anti-T).
|
| Lectins |
|