Question

Write a short note on the ABO system of blood grouping.

Answer 1

• Group A: Individuals belonging to this blood group possess A antigens on the surface of their red blood cells and anti-B antibodies in their blood plasma.
• Group B: This blood group is characterized by the presence of B antigens on the red blood cells and anti-A antibodies circulating in the blood plasma.
• Group AB: Individuals with this group have both A and B antigens on their red blood cells, but they completely lack anti-A and anti-B antibodies in their plasma, making them universal recipients.
• Group O: This blood group lacks both A and B antigens on the red blood cells but contains both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma, allowing them to act as universal donors.
• Agglutination: Any incompatible blood transfusion triggers an immediate antigen-antibody reaction, which causes the clumping (agglutination) and destruction (haemolysis) of red blood cells.
• Rh Factor: The Rh factor is an additional surface antigen on red blood cells that determines whether a person's blood type is Rh-positive or Rh-negative, and it must always be matched for safe transfusions.