Briefly discuss the ABO blood typing and the Rhesus factor. How is blood type determined in the ABO blood group system? What is ABO & Rh typing? What is the rhesus factor, and how does it play a r

Typing, Antigens, and Antibodies.

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Blood Typing, Antigens, and Antibodies.

An antigen is any substance that results in an immune response, including toxins, chemicals, bacteria, and viruses. On the contrary, antibodies called immunoglobins are protective immune system proteins produced as an immune response to the reaction or presence of the antibodies. Blood typing is a scientifically proven method of telling which blood type an individual has and is helpful in blood transfusion, and rhesus factor determination, a surface red blood cell protein. An explanation of Rh factor and blood types A, B, AB and O is given.

In the ABO blood typing system, blood group A  usually has erythrocytes that contain anti-B antibodies in the plasma. In contrast, blood group B person has antigens with anti_A antibodies in plasma. On the contrary, an individual with blood group O possesses n A or B antigens; hence he is a universal donor. He has no antigens that the antibodies will react to. An individual with blood group AB  has both the A and B antigens meaning he can receive blood from anyone since he is a universal recipient. The most common blood group type is O; in blood transfusion.

If an individual who possesses s blood group B is given Blood group A there will be an agglutination reaction since anti-A antibodies will attack  group A cells; this is why A cannot donate to B and O can be given safely to any individual (Rath, Mitra and Mishra, 2014)

Another factor in blood typing is the rhesus factor (Rh). The Rh system is another type of particular antigen, the RhD protein and an individual can be negative or positive. This explains if you are blood group A, you will be A positive or negative (A RhD positive (A+) or A RhD negative (A-)) system that applies to all the blood types (Rath, Mitra and Mishra, 2014).

For testing blood group, the blood cells are mixed with different antibody solutions, no reaction to either of the solution implies blood group O. In contrast, Anti-B solution wth the specific antibodies will climb with blood group B, implying blood group B. anti-A -Antibodies will react to blood group A and clumping will show blood group A. a reaction in the two solutions indicates blood group AB. This applies to anti-D antibodies that test for Rh factor (Encyclopedia and typing, 2022)

References

Encyclopedia, M. and typing, B., 2022. Blood typing: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: <https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003345.htm#:~:text=The%20test%20to%20determine%20your,with%20one%20of%20the%20antibodies.> [Accessed 7 April 2022].

Rath, G., Mitra, R. and Mishra, N., 2014. Blood groups systems. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 58(5), p.524.