Importance of Blood Groups
| Home |Chapter: HAP - Haemopoietic System
Blood groups were discovered in 1901 by Karl Landsteiner, who received the Nobel Prize in 1930. Blood grouping helps ensure safe blood transfusions and avoid dangerous reactions.
BLOOD
GROUP
Blood groups were discovered in 1901 by Karl
Landsteiner, who received the Nobel Prize in 1930. Blood grouping helps
ensure safe blood transfusions and avoid dangerous reactions.
Blood groups are determined by the presence
of antigens on RBCs and antibodies in plasma.
- Antigens = proteins on the surface of RBCs
- Antibodies = proteins in plasma that attack
foreign antigens
Blood Group System
There are 4 major blood groups based
on the ABO system:
- A
- B
- AB
- O
Each can be either Rh-positive (Rh⁺)
or Rh-negative (Rh⁻), giving
a total of 8 groups.
IMPORTANCE
OF BLOOD GROUPING
Blood grouping is essential for:
- Safe
blood transfusions (to prevent mismatched reactions)
- Preventing
haemolytic disease of the newborn (Rh incompatibility)
- Paternity
testing
- Medicolegal
investigations
ABO SYSTEM
The ABO system is based on the presence or
absence of antigens A and B on RBCs.
|
BLOOD GROUP |
ANTIGEN ON RBC |
ANTIBODY IN PLASMA |
|
|
A |
A |
Anti-B |
|
|
B |
B |
Anti-A |
|
|
AB |
A and B |
None |
|
|
O |
None |
Anti-A & Anti-B |
|
Compatibility of Blood Groups
|
BLOOD GROUP |
CAN DONATE TO |
CAN RECEIVE FROM |
|
A |
A, AB |
A, O |
|
B |
B, AB |
B, O |
|
AB |
AB |
A, B, AB, O (universal recipient) |
|
O |
A, B, AB, O (universal donor) |
O |
