Concanavalin A (Con A) is a plant lectin that is purified from jack beans. Con A binds to the mannose residues of various glycoproteins and activates lymphocytes. When Con A is administered to mice, liver injury that depends on the activation of T lymphocytes by macrophages occurs (Tiegs et al., 1992).

What is the function of Concanavalin A?

Concanavalin A (Con A), a mannose/glucose-binding lectin isolated from Jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis), is a well-known T cell mitogen that can activate the immune system, recruit lymphocytes and elicit cytokine production.

What does concanavalin A stain?

Con A can be used to selectively stain the cell surface of live cells, and withstand fixation and permeabilization. When cells are fixed and permeabilized before staining, fluorescent lectins stain both cell surface and organelles in the secretory pathway.