Blood Types - Limestone District School Board

Blood Types

Questions:

What are blood types? How many types are there?

A blood type (or blood group) is a classification of blood based on the presence and absence of antibodies and of inherited antigens on the surface of red blood cells

Antibodies and Antigens

Antibodies are large, Y-shaped proteins used by the immune system to neutralize pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique molecule of the pathogen, called an antigen

Antigens are toxins or other foreign substances that induce an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies

Video: Why do blood types matter?

Human Blood Types

Human blood is grouped into four types: A, B, AB, and O. Each letter refers to a kind of antigen, or protein, on the

surface of red blood cells. For example, the surface of red blood cells in Type A

blood has antigens known as A-antigens.

Rh Factor

First discovered in the blood of Rhesus monkeys (small monkeys from India often used for experimentation)

Rhesus (Rh) factor is an inherited protein found on the surface of red blood cells.

If your blood has the protein, you're Rh+ (has D-antigen) If your blood lacks the protein, you're RhRh+ is the most common blood type ABO blood types plus Rh factor gives rise to 8 blood types:

A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+, O-

Compatibility of Blood Types

Your plasma contains antibodies that recognize red blood cells with "foreign" markers (antigens) and make those cells clump together.

E.g. if you have blood type A, your blood contains antibodies that are anti-B which act against cells with B antigens. If you receive type B blood, Anti-B antibodies will make the foreign type B cells clump together.

A person with type A blood can receive type A or O (don't have B antigens, not recognized as foreign by anti-B antibodies in type A blood)

Which is the universal donor? Which is the universal recipient?

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