Editing Lectin (section)

===In medicine and medical research===
Purified lectins are important in a clinical setting because they are used for [[blood typing]].<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1093/glycob/cwh122 |pmid=15229195 |title=History of lectins: From hemagglutinins to biological recognition molecules |journal=Glycobiology |volume=14 |issue=11 |pages=53R–62R |year=2004 |last1=Sharon |first1=N. |last2=Lis |first2=H |doi-access=free}}</ref> Some of the glycolipids and glycoproteins on an individual's red blood cells can be identified by lectins.
* A lectin from ''[[Dolichos biflorus]]'' is used to identify cells that belong to the A1 blood group.
* A lectin from ''[[Ulex europaeus]]'' is used to identify the H blood group antigen.
* A lectin from ''[[Vicia graminea]]'' is used to identify the N blood group antigen.
* A lectin from ''[[Iberis amara]]'' is used to identify the M blood group antigen.
Non blood-group antigens can be identified by lectins:
* A lectin from [[coconut milk]] is used to identify ''Theros'' antigen.
* A lectin from ''[[Carex]]'' is used to identify R antigen.
In neuroscience, the [[anterograde labeling method]] is used to trace the path of [[efferent nerve fiber|efferent]] [[axon]]s with [[PHA-L]], a lectin from the [[kidney bean]].<ref name="Carlson">{{cite book |author=Carlson, Neil R. |title=Physiology of behavior |publisher=Pearson Allyn & Bacon |location=Boston |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-205-46724-2}}{{page?|date=May 2025}}</ref>

A lectin ([[BanLec]]) from bananas inhibits [[HIV-1]] ''in vitro''.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1074/jbc.M109.034926 |pmid=20080975 |title=A Lectin Isolated from Bananas is a Potent Inhibitor of HIV Replication |journal=Journal of Biological Chemistry |volume=285 |issue=12 |pages=8646–8655 |year=2010 |last1=Swanson |first1=M. D. |last2=Winter |first2=H. C. |last3=Goldstein |first3=I. J. |last4=Markovitz |first4=D. M. |pmc=2838287 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Achylectins, isolated from ''Tachypleus tridentatus'', show specific agglutinating activity against human A-type erythrocytes. Anti-B agglutinins such as anti-BCJ and anti-BLD separated from ''Charybdis japonica'' and ''Lymantria dispar'', respectively, are of value both in routine blood grouping and research.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1080/11250003.2010.492794 |title=Prospect for lectins in arthropods |journal=Italian Journal of Zoology |volume=77 |issue=3 |pages=254–260 |year=2010 |last1=Viswambari Devi |first1=R. |last2=Basilrose |first2=M. R. |last3=Mercy |first3=P. D. |s2cid=84825587|doi-access=free }}</ref>