A protein found in certain plant seeds, particularly in the jack bean, that has been used in biological research and medical applications.
From Latin con- + canavalin, named after the genus Canavalia (jack bean plant), this biochemical term emerged in 20th-century scientific literature.
Concanavalin A (Con A) became a biological researcher's best friend—it glues to cell surfaces in predictable ways, making it invaluable for staining cells under microscopes and sorting them.
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