Phytohemagglutinin

**Semantic type:** Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A class of lectins, found in beans, with hemagglutination properties. Phytohemagglutinin binds to complex oligosaccharides containing galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and mannose, causing agglutination of most mammalian red blood cell types. It induces mitosis and affects cell membrane permeability, thereby facilitating protein transport.

**Synonyms:** - PHA - PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ - phytohemagglutinin