Blood Typing Problems

Blood type is inherited, just like eye color. Certain blood types are more common in certain countries. In China, over 99% of the population has AB blood. Different kinds of animals have different kinds of blood. Dogs have 13 blood types; cats have 11; horses have 8, cows have about 800. Some people think blood type tells about personality. Legend has it that Type A is calm and trustworthy; Type B is creative and excitable; Type AB is thoughtful and emotional; and Type O is a confident leader.

“O” Universal Donor “AB” Universal Receiver In our blood we have antibodies that bind to specific antigens. (The antibodies are not on the red cells where the antigens are, but in the plasma, the liquid part of blood.) We form antibodies to protect us from foreign substances, i.e. bacteria or tissues that are not from our own bodies. Individuals with Type A blood will have an antibody that will attack cells with the "B" antigen....so if you give a type A person type B blood they can have a deadly reaction.

O & AB cont. NOW...you can give any person (any blood type) Type O negative blood because there are no antigens on the Type O red blood cells that could cause a reaction with the recipient's antibodies. Conversely, a Type O negative person can ONLY receive O negative blood. This is because they have antibodies to both "A" and "B" antigens (those on the red cells of type A,B, or AB people).

Cross heterozygous A with an AB person. Parents genotypes: Offspring Genotypes:

Cross two heterozygous A people. Which baby/babies could not be theirs? A.I A I A B.I A i C.I B i D.ii

Cross an O person with heterozygous B Which baby/babies could be theirs? A.I B I B B.I B i C.I A i D.I A I A E.ii