A lectin labeled with our superior fluorescent CF® dyes is an effective and widely used cell surface stain for yeast, fungi, and mammalian cells.

• Stain the cell wall of yeast and fungi, and the cell membrane of mammalian cells and tissues
• Detect glycoconjugates in microscopy and flow cytometry
• Stain glycoproteins in gels
• Withstands fixation and permeabilization
• Choice of 10 CF® dyes from UV to near-infrared
• Superior CF® dyes are bright, photostable, and water-soluble

Concanavalin A (Con A) is a widely used lectin that selectively binds to the glycoproteins, a-mannopyranosyl and a-glucopyranosy. These are commonly found in the cell wall of yeast and fungi, and the cell membrane of mammalian cells and tissues.

Lectins are also versatile probes for detecting glycoconjugates in microscopy and flow cytometric applications and for gel staining of glycoproteins. In neutral and alkaline solutions, Con A exists as a tetramer with a molecular weight of approximately 104 kDa. In acidic solutions (pH below 5.0), Con A exists as a dimer. 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.

Find the right stain for your application. Con A and other lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins that recognize specific sugar moieties on glycoproteins. The presence and distribution of these targets vary between cell types and tissues. As a result, other cell surface stains or other lectin conjugates, Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) conjugates and PNA lectin conjugates, may produce better surface staining and may be more appropriate for your cell type. Lectin conjugates 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. Lectins may be toxic or stimulatory to live cells depending on cell type.

Superior CF® dyes. Biotium’s next-generation CF® dyes were designed to be highly water-soluble with advantages in brightness and photostability compared to Alexa Fluor®, DyLight®, and other fluorescent dyes.