Anti A1 Lectin Blood Grouping Reagent (Dolichos biflorus)
Lab Supplies

Anti A1 Lectin Blood Grouping Reagent (Dolichos biflorus)

Pack Sizes Available

5ml dropper vial

Product Description

Not all blood grouping tests are created equal, and not all blood grouping questions are as simple as A, B, or O. Every so often, a patient with blood group A comes back with a result that does not quite fit the expected serology. The forward group says A. The reverse group says something slightly different. And the blood banker, instinctively, reaches for the Anti-A1 Lectin. Anti-A1 Lectin is the specialist reagent within the ABO subgrouping toolkit. It is derived from an extract of Dolichos biflorus seeds — the same plant extract that blood bankers have relied on to differentiate the A1 subgroup from A2 and weaker A subgroups for over seven decades. In a population of group A individuals, approximately 80% are A1 and approximately 20% are A2 or weaker. The distinction matters clinically: some A2 and A2B individuals make an alloanti-A1 antibody that behaves as an unexpected serum antibody in ABO reverse grouping, producing the discrepancy that sent the blood banker searching for this reagent in the first place. The test is straightforward. One drop of Anti-A1 Lectin is mixed with a drop of the patient's red cell suspension on a slide, or added to a tube for centrifugation. Red cells that carry the A1 antigen will agglutinate. Those that are A2 or weaker will not. The result, read within one minute on a slide or after centrifugation in a tube, resolves the discrepancy and classifies the patient definitively. The reagent is prepared as a stabilised aqueous extract of Dolichos biflorus seeds, diluted in phosphate-buffered saline containing bovine serum albumin. It is supplied ready to use with no further dilution required, and contains 0.1% sodium azide as a preservative. For blood banks that manage complex serology workups, for regional reference laboratories, and for hospital blood banking services that encounter A subgroup discrepancies, this reagent is a non-negotiable part of the immunohaematology reagent cabinet. It does not move in the same volumes as Anti-A and Anti-B, but when it is needed, nothing else substitutes for it. Anti-A1 Lectin is available in 5ml and 10ml dropper vials for routine laboratory use, and in a 1L bulk format for reference laboratories or high-volume procurement. Sara Wellness exports blood grouping reagents and immunohaematology supplies to wholesale buyers and IVD distributors across Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. We understand cold-chain export requirements and import documentation for regulated markets. Fifteen years of IVD export experience mean these shipments run correctly. Combined orders across the full blood grouping reagent range receive the best pricing.

Technical Specifications

  • Source and Preparation: Aqueous extract of Dolichos biflorus seeds; diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS pH 7.0) with 20g/L bovine serum albumin; supplied ready to use — no further dilution required; contains 0.1% sodium azide as preservative
  • Specificity: Specific for A1 antigen on human red blood cells; agglutinates A1 and A1B cells; does not agglutinate A2, A2B, or weaker A subgroup cells; used for ABO subgroup differentiation (A1 vs A2 classification)
  • Techniques and Performance: Slide method (1 drop reagent + 1 drop 40% red cell suspension; observe within 1 minute) and tube method (centrifuge 1 min at 1000 rpm, 100-125 rcf); strong agglutination = A1; no agglutination = A2 or weaker subgroup
  • Storage and Shelf Life: Store at 2-8°C; do not freeze; shelf life 24 months from manufacture; bring to room temperature before use; confirm daily reactivity with known A1-positive and A2 (negative) red cell controls; discard if turbid or contaminated
  • Regulatory and Safety: CE-IVD marked (ISO 13485 compliant); CDSCO registered IVD (India); for in vitro diagnostic use only; handle all blood-contact materials as potentially infectious per universal precautions; do not use beyond expiry date
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Anti-A1 Lectin is a blood grouping reagent prepared from an extract of Dolichos biflorus seeds. Unlike monoclonal Anti-A reagents that agglutinate all group A red cells (both A1 and A2), Anti-A1 Lectin specifically agglutinates only A1 antigen-expressing cells. It does not agglutinate A2, A2B, or weaker A subgroup cells. This selectivity is precisely why it is used: to differentiate between A1 and A2 subgroups when ABO subgrouping is clinically necessary — for example, when an A2 patient is producing an alloanti-A1 that is causing a discrepancy between forward and reverse ABO grouping results.

Among people with blood group A, approximately 78-80% are A1 and approximately 20-22% are A2. A similar proportion applies among AB individuals. The clinical significance is that a small percentage of A2 individuals (less than 10%) and A2B individuals (approximately 25%) produce an alloantibody called anti-A1 — reactive with A1 antigen-positive red cells. This antibody can cause an apparent serum discrepancy in ABO grouping, where the reverse group gives an unexpected reaction. Anti-A1 Lectin testing resolves this discrepancy by confirming the patient is A2 or A2B subgroup rather than truly A1, and the anti-A1 in their serum is a clinically benign alloantibody that should not restrict transfusion to A2-negative blood in most cases.

Anti-A1 Lectin is an extract derived from the seeds of Dolichos biflorus — a legume native to tropical and subtropical regions. The plant extract contains naturally occurring agglutinins with specificity for the A1 antigen on human red blood cells. The seeds are extracted in aqueous solution, the extract is stabilised in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.0) containing bovine serum albumin, and the final reagent is supplied ready to use at optimal dilution. A preservative — typically 0.1% sodium azide — is added to maintain sterility during storage. The reagent requires no reconstitution or dilution before use.

Anti-A1 Lectin can be used by the slide method and the tube method. Slide method: place one drop of Anti-A1 Lectin next to one drop of the patient's red cell suspension on a glass slide, mix with a stick or rotate the slide, and observe for agglutination within 1 minute. Tube method: add one drop of Anti-A1 Lectin to one drop of red cell suspension in a test tube, mix, centrifuge for 1 minute at 1000 rpm (100-125 rcf), and observe the button for agglutination after gentle resuspension. Agglutination is positive (A1 cells). No agglutination is negative (A2 or weaker subgroup).

Anti-A1 Lectin has been tested specifically for A antigen subgroup differentiation and should not be used as a substitute for Anti-A monoclonal reagents in routine forward ABO grouping. Samples from patients with polyagglutination may give unexpected reactions. The reagent has not been tested for use in polyagglutination investigations. Non-specific agglutination can occasionally be seen with cells from patients who have received certain blood substitutes. All samples and reagents should be treated as potentially infectious per universal precautions. The reagent should not be used if turbid, discoloured, or contaminated.

Anti-A1 Lectin is stored at 2 to 8°C throughout its shelf life of 24 months from manufacture. The reagent must not be frozen. It should be brought to room temperature before use. The calibrated dropper bottle tip must not be contaminated during use. On each day of use, the reactivity should be confirmed with known A1-positive and A2 (negative) red cell controls. Pack sizes: 5ml dropper vial (routine laboratory use), 10ml dropper vial (standard institutional format), and 1L bulk bottle for reference laboratories and high-volume procurement.

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