lectin
noun
lec·tin ˈlek-tən 
: any of a group of proteins especially of plants that are not antibodies and do not originate in an immune system but bind specifically to carbohydrate-containing receptors on cell surfaces (as of red blood cells)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The side of the story that doesn’t always get told is that lectins are rendered harmless during cooking. 
Abby Langer, SELF, 5 Jan. 2019 Most of us, however, don’t have a problem with the lectins in legumes, the gluten in grains, and the sugar in a reasonable amount of fruit. Abby Langer, SELF, 6 Sep. 2018 On Goop, Gundry promotes the idea that lectins, a type of protein found in certain plants, such as kidney beans, cause diseases like asthma, multiple sclerosis, or irritable bowel syndrome. Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2017 But when the lectin binds, the bacteria that attaches changes the balance of the droplets, causing them to tip on their side. Nathan Hurst, Smithsonian, 18 Apr. 2017 According to Gundry, the problem is lectins, a type of protein found mostly in plants that bind to cell membranes, damaging them. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 3 Aug. 2017 To these droplets, the scientists attach a plant protein called lectin, which binds to E. coli. Nathan Hurst, Smithsonian, 18 Apr. 2017 Some or most beans contain a toxin called a lectin or phytohemagglutinin (PHA); its highest concentration is in red kidney beans. Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 9 June 2017 A 2016 study in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention found that the lectins in oyster mushrooms may help reduce the toxic impact of arsenic on the liver and kidneys. Consumer Reports, Washington Post, 21 May 2017 See More
Abby Langer, SELF, 5 Jan. 2019 Most of us, however, don’t have a problem with the lectins in legumes, the gluten in grains, and the sugar in a reasonable amount of fruit. Abby Langer, SELF, 6 Sep. 2018 On Goop, Gundry promotes the idea that lectins, a type of protein found in certain plants, such as kidney beans, cause diseases like asthma, multiple sclerosis, or irritable bowel syndrome. Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2017 But when the lectin binds, the bacteria that attaches changes the balance of the droplets, causing them to tip on their side. Nathan Hurst, Smithsonian, 18 Apr. 2017 According to Gundry, the problem is lectins, a type of protein found mostly in plants that bind to cell membranes, damaging them. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 3 Aug. 2017 To these droplets, the scientists attach a plant protein called lectin, which binds to E. coli. Nathan Hurst, Smithsonian, 18 Apr. 2017 Some or most beans contain a toxin called a lectin or phytohemagglutinin (PHA); its highest concentration is in red kidney beans. Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 9 June 2017 A 2016 study in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention found that the lectins in oyster mushrooms may help reduce the toxic impact of arsenic on the liver and kidneys. Consumer Reports, Washington Post, 21 May 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin lectus (past participle of legere to pick, select) + -in entry 1 — more at legend
First Known Use
1954, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
lectin
noun
lec·tin ˈlek-tən
: any of a group of proteins especially of plants that are not antibodies and do not originate in an immune system but bind specifically to carbohydrate-containing receptors on cell surfaces (as of red blood cells)