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A history of lectins

1888  Peter Hermann Stillmark, doctoral thesis    University of Dorpat (Tartu, Estonia)
           - isolation of RCA hemagglutinin or ricin from seeds of castor tree (Ricinus communis)

1888  H. Hellin (Tartu, Estonia)
           - isolation of abrin from jequirity bean (Abrus precatorius)

1890s  Paul Ehrlich (Royal Institute of Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt) employs ricin and abrin as antigens.

1919  James B. Sumner  Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) 
          - isolation of concanavalin A (conA) from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis)

1936  Sumner and Howell reports that conA agglutinates cells and demonstrates sugar specificity

1900-7  Karl Landsteiner (University of Vienna) discovers human A, B, O blood groups

1900-7  Karl Landsteiner (University of Vienna) discovers human A, B, O blood groups

Sharon N and Lis H. History of lectins: from hemagglutinin to biological recognition molecules. Glycobiology (2004) 14:53R

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