BLOOD

GROUPS
MIRITI M.D
KMTC LECTURE SERIES-PHYSIOLOGY 1
INTRODUCTION
• Blood typing is a method of
classifying blood into different blood
groups depending on the presence of
different antigens on the surface of
red blood cells (RBCs).
Understanding the different blood
groups is vital in preventing
complications from blood
transfusion.
 ABO Grouping System
• Erythrocytes (RBCs) have multiple glycoprotein antigens
attached to their cell surface. The most important are ABO
antigens, which determine a person’s ABO blood group. An
individual inherits one ABO allele from each parent, with A
and B alleles being codominant and producing the A and B
antigens respectively.
Group A – have antigen A attached to the erythrocyte cell
surface
Group B – have antigen B attached to the erythrocyte cell
surface
Group AB – have both antigen A and B attached to the
erythrocyte cell surface
Group O – have neither antigen attached to the erythrocyte
cell surface
• Each person also has ABO antibodies in their
plasma, which will recognise and attack RBCs
expressing foreign antigens. These antibodies
develop over the first months and years of life.
This is crucial in blood transfusion as giving
someone an incompatible blood group can be
potentially fatal. The A and B antibodies are
predominantly IgM.
Group A – have anti-B antibodies
Group B – have anti-A antibodies
Group AB – have neither antibody
Group O – have both anti-A and anti-B
antibodies
Rhesus Grouping System

• The second most important blood grouping system is based

on Rhesus (Rh) antigens. There are many different Rh
antigens but only 5 are clinically significant: D, C, c, E, and e.
• Rh D is the most immunogenic (i.e. likely to produce an
immune response) and therefore the most likely to
precipitate a transfusion reaction. The presence or
absence of Rh D antigen on the erythrocyte cell surface
determines whether the person has Rh positive (Rh+) or Rh
negative (Rh-) blood groups.
Rh positive: have the Rh D antigen and can receive both
Rh+ and Rh- blood
Rh negative: lack the Rh D antigen and should only receive
Rh- blood
• Rh negativity is generally more prevalent in
Caucasian populations (15%), than Afro-
Caribbean (8%) and Asian (1%) populations but
prevalence varies in different parts of the world.
• Anti-D antibody is usually absent in Rh- patients
(until they have been exposed to Rh+
erythrocytes). Rh- patients should not be
transfused with Rh+ blood as this can cause them
to develop anti-D antibodies. This may cause
transfusion reactions in the future.
• Alongside ABO and Rh blood groups, there are
many other grouping systems based on other
antigens. These antigens can also, more rarely,
cause transfusion reactions.