Lectins are critical tools in neuroscience research due to their ability to interact with specific glycoconjugates (molecules composed of carbohydrates and proteins or lipids) on cell surfaces. They target sugar groups on glycoproteins and glycolipids. Their binding can be inhibited by adding a high concentration of the corresponding sugar. This interaction enables the study of neuronal connectivity, cell migration, and the effects of neurodegenerative diseases. Unconjugated lectins can be coupled to beads for glycoprotein purification, while conjugated lectins are used for detecting glycoproteins in histochemical and immunoflourescence studies.
Antibodies Inc. features a range of fluorophore, biotin, HRP, FITC, and R-PE-conjugated lectins that can be used to selectively stain the surface of live cells and withstand fixation and permeabilization.
Our WGA, ConA, PNA, and UEA lectins are available conjugated with FITC - a fluorescent dye to allow visualization under fluorescence microscopy or detection in flow cytometry, or labeled with biotin - a small molecule that binds strongly to avidin or streptavidin. We also offer our popular Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum) lectin (LEL, TL) which is commonly used as a marker for blood vessels and microglial cells in a variety of fluorescently conjugated forms ready for use in immunofluorescence staining of your tissue sections!
