Medicago AB Products Are Available Worldwide. For Research Use Only. Concanavalin A (Con A) is a lectin isolated from Jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis) by affinity chromatography. It has 4 subunits and a molecular weight of 104 kDa. Con A is the most widely used lectin and has broad applicability. It reacts with non-reducing alpha-D-glucose and alpha-D-mannose. Con A binds specifically to certain structures found in various sugars, glycoproteins and glycolipids. It has been utilized in hormone receptor studies, mitogenic assays and for characterizing normal and malignant cells (cancer cells are readily aggregated by Con A while normal cells are not). Con A can initiate cell division (mitogenesis). Immobilized Con A has been used in affinity chromatography purifications of a wide variety of glycoproteins and cellular structures. Concanavalin A lectin is supplied without preservatives as a lyophilized white powder or flocculate from 0.5 mM MnCl2, 0.5 mM CaCl2. For laboratory use only.