Chapter 18.3, Problem 2AYLO

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

Why individuals have no antibodies against the ABO types at birth but develop them after birth; also to discuss how these antibodies limit transfusion compatibility.

Introduction:

Blood transfusion incompatibility can be fatal, and therefore necessitates knowledge of both donor and recipient blood types. The ABO blood typing system defines the various blood types based on the presence or absence of antigens. The antibodies are proteins secreted by the plasma cells and circulated in the plasma, and the antigens are proteins, glycolipids, or glycoproteins that are expressed, in the case of ABO blood types, on the surface of RBCs. Antibodies, by binding to antigens, label the antigens for destruction as a part of the body’s immune response.