1. ABO Blood Groups Rhesus Factor +-
Blood Types
ABO Blood Groups
Rhesus Factor +-

2. Why are blood types important?
Blood transfusion
A blood transfusion creating a wrong combination of donor-patient blood types could result in the death of the patient.
Furthermore a wrong combination donor-patient of the Rhesus factor could also provoke a rejection from the patient’s body and result in death.

3. Blood Types History
Karl Landsteiner (1900) found out that the blood of two people under contact agglutinates.
As a result he succeeded (1901) in identifying the three blood groups A, B and 0, of human blood.
He won the Nobel Prize for this.
Based on his findings, in 1907 the first successful blood transfusion was performed at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

4. The Rhesus Factor D
Individuals either have, or do not have, the Rhesus factor (or Rh D antigen) on the surface of their red blood cells. This is usually indicated by "RhD positive" or "RhD negative" suffix to the ABO blood type.
The Rhesus system is named after the Rhesus Macaque, following experiments by Karl Landsteiner and Alexander S. Wiener

5. Rhesus Macaque

6. Reminder, Immune System
The body is able to attack and destroy “invading” cells
This is called an immune response
We all have Antibodies
proteins that recognize and attack foreign (outsiders) molecules.

7. Immune System
In order for our own red blood cells to be recognized by or own immune system, they have Antigens on their surface

8. ANTIBODY
RED BLOOD CELL
ANTIGEN

9. Antibody A (Anti-A) reacts with Antigen A
Antibody B (Anti-B) reacts with Antigen B
This causes CLUMPING (agglutination) = DEATH!

10. The Antigen indicates the Blood Type
Blood Type A  Antigen A
Blood Type B  Antigen B
Blood Type AB  Antigen A and Antigen B
Blood Type O  No Antigens

11. Presence of Antigens and Antibodies

12. If you have Blood Type…
Antigen on your red blood cell
Antibody in your body
Blood Type A A
Anti-B
Blood Type B B
Anti-A
Blood Type AB AB
NONE
Blood Type O
Anti-A and Anti-B

13. So, if you have... Blood Type A, can you receive Blood Type B?
Blood Type AB, can you receive Blood Type... A? B?
AB? O?
Blood Type O, can you receive any other blood type?

14. Why do the antibodies of the donor not have an effect?
The antibodies of the donor are diluted by the recipient’s blood plasma (watery part of the blood) which is why this rarely causes agglutination leading to death.

15. Rhesus Factor
Another type of Protein (Antigen) present or not on the red blood cell.
Named after the Rhesus Macaque.
Rh positive means the Antigen is present.
Rh negative means the Antigen is absent.
Rh negative does not have Rh antibody naturally.
A+ , B+ , AB+ and O+ all are Rh positive.
A-, B-, AB- and O- are all Rh negative.

16. Rh + person blood transfused into Rh - person:
Rh - person develops antibodies for Rh factor + which will result in blood agglutination and eventually death
Rh - person blood transfused into Rh + person:
NO PROBLEM

17. Rhesus Factor If you have Blood Type… Antigen on your red blood cell
Antibody in your body
A+, B+, AB+, O+
Rh D
None
A-, B-, AB-, O-
Anti-Rh D

18. Rh negative mother and Rh positive baby.
Problem
Rh negative mother and Rh positive baby.
Blood cells from baby may pass from placenta into mother during child birth.
The mother develops antibodies for Rh+.
Only a problem if she has another baby that is Rh+ because her antibodies will attack baby’s blood cells and rupture them.
Resulting in baby’s blood count being low. This is called Rh disease of the newborn (hemolytic).

19. Solution
Mother is given: Rh Immune-globuline which prevents her from making Rh+ antibodies.

20. How to determine Blood Types
Have a sample of blood
Add the Antibody serums
Look for agglutination
Conclude

23. 1. What is agglutination?
2. Who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his research in determining blood types?
3. What are antigens? Where are they located?
4. What are antibodies? Where are they located?
5. What happens when incompatible blood types are mixed?
6. What is the Rh factor?
7. Sketch a red blood cell that is Rh+.
8. What will happen if a blood type A patient with A antigens is mixed with blood that has A
antibodies?
9. Which blood type can donate blood to anyone? Why? Which blood type can receive blood from
everyone? Why?