Exercise y'all know your blood type? This is a question we should all be able to reply. Information technology contains vital information for situations such equally blood donations, transfusions or pregnancies. It is likewise very interesting to know how blood groups are inherited, a very common question asked in medical consultations. Do you want to know why? This mail service explains information technology all:

The relationship between red blood cells and claret types

Blood is made upwards of different jail cell types suspended in a liquid called "plasma". Blood is considered a tissue and consists mainly of blood-red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. Blood types are determined by "antigens", which are molecules found on the surface of cherry blood cells.

Each type of cell performs a different function:

  • Platelets: these cells exercise non have a nucleus and are involved in blood clotting when a blood vessel has ruptured.
  • White blood cells: also chosen leukocytes, these cells are role of the trunk's immune system, fighting infection and disease.
  • Red blood cells: also called erythrocytes, they give the claret its distinctive cerise colour and are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. The antigens that are located on the cell surface form the diverse blood groups.

The 2 well-nigh important and well-known antigenic systems are the ABO system and the RH arrangement.

The ABO blood group system

The so-chosen ABO organisation was discovered by the Austrian pathologist and biologist Karl Landsteiner  in 1901. Up until that betoken, some human being to man blood transfusions had been proven to be successful and others not, but the reason was unknown.

Landsteiner noticed that when 2 people'southward blood was mixed, it reacted in ii ways: either by clumping together and clotting, or by fusing together. Consequently, he discovered iii different types of cherry-red blood cell antigens: A, B and O, a finding for which he later received the Nobel Prize.

The ABO gene has three alleles: A, B and O, and the claret type is determined by the presence or absence of these iii alleles. An allele is each of the forms in which the aforementioned gene tin be expressed. As previously outlined, the different claret groups are determined by the absence or presence of certain antigens in the red blood cells. These antigens vary depending on what alleles they contain. Therefore:

  • Alleles A and B form blazon A and type B antigens respectively.
  • Allele O does not produce whatever type of antigen.

Therefore, depending on the antigens that are present or absent-minded in the red blood cells, nosotros can identify 4 blood groups: Group A, Group B, Group AB and Group O.

The Rh system or D antigen

Like the ABO system, the Rh (Rhesus) system, also called the D antigen, is based on the absence or presence of a certain antigen on the red blood cell membrane surface:

  • If this antigen is present, the blood jail cell will be Rh positive and will accept no antibodies against this antigen, which is the well-nigh common scenario.
  • If this antigen is absent, the blood cell volition beRh negative. This mostly does not pose whatever trouble for the private's health; it is simply important for pregnant women.

Blood group compatibility

Not all blood groups are compatible with each other, at that place is specific compatibility for both the ABO grouping and the Rh cistron. The tabular array below illustrates the compatibility of different claret groups for receiving and altruistic blood:

blood groups

A transfusion between not-uniform blood groups, both ABO and Rh groups, will generate antibodies that trigger what is called "acute haemolytic transfusion reaction", which has serious wellness implications. This is because the allowed reaction that is triggered causes the breakdown of cerise claret cells (haemolysis).

For example:

  • Claret group A reacts with group B or AB.
  • Blood group B reacts with group A or AB.
  • Claret grouping Oreacts with groups A, B or AB, but can be used for transfusions with all other groups. That is why people with type O blood are chosen "universal donors".
  • Blood grouping AB does not react with groups A, B, AB or O.
  • TheRh negative blood group reacts with the Rh positive blood grouping.
  • TheAB positive blood group does not react with whatever grouping, hence people with this claret group are chosen "universal recipient".

Rh incompatibility in pregnancy

It is extremely important to accept a female parent's Rh cistron into account during pregnancy.

Rh positive is the most common blood group. Rh negative is less common, and certain precautions must exist taken with Rh negative women when pregnant. If their partner is Rh positive, there is a possibility that the baby will also be Rh positive, which may atomic number 82 to complications during pregnancy. This occurs if the blood of the female parent and child come into contact.

Although the mother's blood does non ordinarily mix with the baby's during pregnancy, it could happen during delivery. If this happens, the mother's Rh negative blood can react with the kid's Rh antibodies. This is usually non a problem in a outset pregnancy, but it can be a problem in afterwards pregnancies, as antibodies could penetrate the placenta and attack the red blood cells of a hereafter Rh-positive baby. This could crusade anaemia in the foetus that could kill it.

At the first prenatal consultation, the md will request a blood grouping and Rh factor exam for the mother. If you are Rh negative, you will probably have an antibody test in the first trimester to detect possible Rh positive antibodies and, if necessary, take further action with anti-D gamma globulin injections. This prevents the female parent's body from producing Rh antibodies throughout the pregnancy and after delivery.

Tests to determine blood group

A claret sample is needed to determine an individual'south blood group. There are 2 steps:

1st The sample is mixed with blood type A and type B antibodies and monitored to encounter whether the crimson blood cells in the blood clump together or not.

If there are clots, this means that the blood has reacted with 1 of the antibodies.

2ndThis is chosen opposite typing. Here,blood plasma (without cells) is mixed with type A or type B claret:

  • People with type A blood have blazon B antibodies.
  • People with type B claret take type A antibodies.
  • People with type O blood have both type A and type B antibodies.

To institute whether the blood is Rh positive or negative, we look at whether or not the blood has proteins on the cell surface. If at that place are proteins on the cell surface, it would be Rh positive and if not, information technology would be Rh negative.

How are blood groups inherited?

Blood groups are hereditary. They have a Mendelian pattern, in other words, they are the production of a single gene.

The ABO gene has three types of alleles: A, B, and O. The first 2, A and B, are codominant, in other words, they dominate every bit. Even so, allele O is recessive.

The dissimilar combinations amongst these three alleles generate the different blood groups.

For instance, a person with claret group AB has 1 A cistron and one B gene, while a person with blood group A may accept two AA genes or i A gene and one O gene, but since information technology is dominant, A prevails.

The table beneath displays a parent-child group compatibility table:

As for the almost common blood groups in Spain, those with a positive Rh factor are the most prominent, specifically A+, O+ and B+.

blood groups

Are we shut to "making" universal blood?

The scientist, Stephen G. Withers and his team, from the University of British Columbia , take outlined how to convert group A claret to O, by using ii enzymes from the gut microbiota.  This finding, which was published in the Nature Microbiology journal in June of this year, if validated, would lead to an increased supply of the universal donor blood group.

This commodity has talked about how blood groups play a very important office in primal processes, such every bit a blood transfusion or during pregnancy, and knowing them is essential for avoiding any possible complications.

Please note that blood from a universal donor is used in emergencies, but even so nosotros highly recommend familiarising yourself with this of import information. Exercise yous know your blood group?

This article is based on the original article written by Bibana Palao, Main Production Officeholder at Veritas Intercontinental.