Blood Typing

ABO
blood
group
system
The ABO blood group system
• The ABO blood group system is a way of
classifying blood based on the presence or
absence of two antigens(A,B) on the RBC
surface.
• .
.
 Blood Grouping

• Determined by antigens (agglutinogens)

on surface of RBCs

• Antibodies (agglutinins) can bind to RBC

antigens, resulting in agglutination
(clumping) or hemolysis (rupture) of RBCs
• Groups
– ABO and Rh
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 Genetics of Blood Types
• Your blood type is established before you are BORN,
by specific GENES inherited from your parents.

• You inherit one gene from your MOTHER and one

from your FATHER.

• These genes determine your blood type by causing

proteins (antigene) called AGGLUTINOGENS to
exist on the surface of all of your red blood cells.
 What are blood types?
Blood Types
There are 3 alleles or genes for blood AA or AO = Type A
type: A, B, & O. Since we have 2 genes, BB or BO = Type B
there are 6 possible combinations. OO = Type O
AB = Type AB

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/basics/blood/types.cfm
 Example of Determining
Genotype
• Mom’s phenotype is group A, genotype AO
• Dad’s phenotype is group B, genotype BO

B O
A AB 25% AO 25% (Group A)

O BO 25% (Group B) OO 25% (Group O)

 Other Examples

Mom Dad Offspring Blood

Group
AA BB 100% AB

BO OO 50% each of B
or O
OO OO 100% O

OO AO 50% each of A
or O
 ABO antibodies
• IgM is the predominant antibody in Group A
and Group B individuals
– Anti-A
– Anti-B

• IgG (with some IgM) is the predominant

antibody in Group O individuals
– Anti-A,B (with some anti-A and anti-B)
AB0 blood grouping system

Blood group A
If you belong to the blood
group A, you have A antigens
on the surface of your RBCs
and B antibodies in your
blood plasma.

Blood group B
If you belong to the blood
group B, you have B antigens
on the surface of your RBCs
and A antibodies in your
blood plasma.
Blood group AB
If you belong to the blood group
AB, you have both A and B antigens
on the surface of your RBCs and no
A or B antibodies at all in your
blood plasma.

Blood group O
If you belong to the blood group O (null),
you have neither A or B antigens on the
surface of your RBCs but you have both A
and B antibodies in your blood plasma.
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/basics/blood/types.cfm
A person’s ABO blood group determines who they can
donate blood to, or who’s blood they can receive.

Blood Antigens Can give blood Can receive

group to blood from
A A A, AB A, O

B B B, AB B, O

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

O none A, B, AB, O O
 Blood Transfusions
A blood transfusion is a procedure in which blood is given to a patient through an
intravenous (IV) line in one of the blood vessels. Blood transfusions are done to replace
blood lost during surgery or a serious injury. A transfusion also may be done if a person’s
body can't make blood properly because of an illness.

Who can give you blood? Universal Donor

People with TYPE O blood are called

Universal Donors, because they can give
blood to any blood type.

People with TYPE AB blood are called

Universal Recipients, because they can
receive any blood type.

Rh +  Can receive + or -
Rh -  Can only receive -
Universal Recipient
 Rh Factors
• While studying Rhesus monkeys, a certain
blood protein was discovered. This protein is
also present in the blood of some people.
Other people, however, do not have the
protein.
• The presence of the protein, or lack of it, is
referred to as the Rh (for Rhesus) factor.
• If your blood does contain the protein, your
blood is said to be Rh positive (Rh+). If your
blood does not contain the protein, your blood A+ A-
is said to be Rh negative (Rh-).
B+ B-
AB+ AB-
O+ O-
http://www.fi.edu/biosci/blood/rh.html
 Rh Blood Group

• Rh antigens are transmembrane proteins with loops

exposed at the surface of red blood cells.

• They appear to be used for the transport of carbon

dioxide and/or ammonia across the plasma membrane..

• RBCs that are "Rh positive" express the antigen

designated D.

• 85% of the population is RhD positive,

•15% is RhD negative blood.
Do you know which blood group you
belong to?

According to above blood

grouping systems, you can
belong to either of
following 8 blood groups:
• A person with Rh- blood can develop Rh antibodies
in the blood plasma if he or she receives blood from a
person with Rh+ blood, whose Rh antigens can trigger
the production of Rh antibodies.

•A person with Rh+ blood can receive blood from

a person with Rh- blood without any problems.
 Hemolytic Disease of the
Neborn – How it Occurs
• A child is Rh pos
• B during pregnancy fetal Rh pos rbc’s escape into maternal
circulation
• C Mother produces antibodies to Rh (D) antigen
• D Second pregnancy with Rh (D) pos child results in
destruction of fetal D pos rbcs
Erythroblastosis Fetalis (HDN)

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 Rh factor
First pregnancy

 Rh factor can cause Placenta

complications in some
pregnancies.
Rh+ antigens

 Mother is exposed to Rh
antigens at the birth of
her Rh+ baby.
 Mother makes anti-Rh+ Possible
antibodies. Anti-Rh+ subsequent
antibodies pregnancies

 During the mother’s next

pregnancy, Rh
antibodies can cross the
placenta and endanger
the fetus.
 Names for HDN
• Hydrops fetalis
• Icterus gravis neonatorum
• Kernicterus (outcome)
• Erythroblastosis fetalis
Why is an Rh incompatibility so dangerous
when ABO incompatibility is not during
pregnancy?

• Most anti-A or anti-B antibodies are of the IgM

class (large molecules) and these do not cross the
placenta.

•In fact, an Rh−/type O mother carrying an

Rh+/type A, B, or AB foetus is resistant to
sensitisation to the Rh antigen.

•Her anti-A and anti-B antibodies destroy any foetal

cells that enter her blood before they can elicit anti-
Rh antibodies in her.
Prevention of Rh Incompatibility
• Premarital counseling? Ambitious?
• Proper matching of blood particularly in
women before childbearing.
• Blood grouping must for every woman,
before 1st pregnancy.
• administered RH-IG).
• Proper management of unsensitised Rh
negative pregnancies.

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 Treatment of HDN
• If a woman has Rh- and gives birth to a child,
or if she has a miscarriage or abortion, she is
given an injection of anti-Rh antibodies called
anti-Rh gamma globulin or RhoGAM to
prevent HDN.

• The antibodies bind to the fetal Rh antigens

and inactivates them if they crossed the
placenta during birth, and the mother’s
immune system does not respond by
producing antibodies.