lectin

American  

[lek-tin] / ˈlɛk tɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. any of a group of proteins that bind to particular carbohydrates in the manner of an antibody and are commonly extracted from plants for use as an agglutinin, as in clumping red blood cells for blood typing.

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lectin British  

/ ˈlɛktɪn /

noun

1. a type of protein possessing high affinity for a specific sugar; lectins are often highly toxic

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Etymology

Origin of lectin

1954; < Latin lēct ( us ), past participle of legere to gather, select, read + -in ²

Example Sentences

When sialic acids attach to lectin receptors on immune cells, they can switch on an immune dampening pathway.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

They could also exchange the lectin portion to target other immunosuppressive glycans, or use antibodies that target checkpoint proteins such as PD-1.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

Kidney beans contain a protein called lectin that can lead to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if they're consumed raw or undercooked.

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2022

The first to publish a study were the scientists Michael Brownlee and Anthony Cerami, who in 1979 embedded a sugar-encrusted form of insulin in a mesh pouch with a sugar-loving protein called lectin.

From New York Times • Nov. 13, 2014

And so the insulin stops working to lower blood-sugar levels precisely when it’s no longer needed, because its sugar chain is held hostage by the lectin.

From New York Times • Nov. 13, 2014