Transcript blood types
BLOOD TYPES
REVIEW
What is an antigen?
A substance that can cause an immune
response
What is an antibody?
Proteins in the blood that help destroy
foreign substances
The Blood Types Are
A B AB
O
What determines blood type?
• Blood types are
determined by the
presence or absence
of antigens (proteins)
on the surface of the
red blood cells
The antigens are called A and B
• Blood type A has the
A antigen
• Blood type B has the
B antigen
• Blood type AB has
both A and B antigens
• Blood type O doesn’t
have either antigen
In addition, the plasma contains antibodies that
react with the antigens the blood does not have
(they detect foreign cells)
• Blood type A contains
anti-b antibodies
• Blood type B contains
anti-a antibodies
• Blood type AB doesn’t
have either antibody
• Blood type O has both
anti-a and anti-b
antibodies
Blood Donations
• When transfusions were first
attempted, death sometimes
occurred due to the
agglutination which is the
clumping of blood.
For a blood donation to be safe the
recipients' blood must not contain
antibodies that will react with the
antigens on the donors red blood cells
For Example: Would it be safe for a person with Type A
blood to receive a transfusion from a person with type B
blood? Why?
No - because the Anti B antibodies in the A blood
plasma will react with the B antigens on the B red
blood cells and agglutination will occur.
RH Factor
• The Rh factor is another antigen found on
the red blood cells of approximately 85% of
the population
• Rh positive people
have the antigen
• Rh negative people
lack the antigen
Rh factor
• The Rh factor can be a problem when an
Rh negative mother is pregnant with an Rh
positive baby.
• The mother will
build antibodies
against the child
Rh factor
BLOOD TYPES
BLOOD TYPE
A
ANTIGENS ON ANTIBODIES
RED BLOOD
IN PLASMA
CELLS
A
ANTI-B
B
B
ANTI-A
AB
A AND B
NONE
O
NONE
ANTI-A AND
ANTI-B
SAFE MATCHES FOR BLOOD
DONATIONS
BLOOD TYPE
A
B
AB
O
CAN DONATE
TO
A AB
B
AB
AB
O AB A B
CAN RECEIVE
FROM
A O
B
O
AB A B O
O
• BLOOD TYPE AB IS
THE UNIVERSAL
RECIEPENT
• BLOOD TYPE O IS
THE UNIVERSAL
DONOR