What is the science behind naming of blood groups? Like what is that blood contains which makes it O-positive or O-negative?
In: 10
The naming corresponds to blood cell surface proteins to which the human immune system reacts. The immune system is on constant surveillance for living cells that appear foreign, since we have evolved to kill things that can kill us, like bacteria. Our immune system primarily reacts to protein structures on the surface of cells.
This is really only consequential for blood transfusions. If you are type A, you have A type proteins on your blood cells, and your immune system is cool with blood from donors that also has type A surface proteins, and also cool with type O blood, which corresponds to “neither A nor B.” infusion of blood cells with B surface proteins will cause a massive immune response and kill you.
If your blood type is B, B is ok and O is ok, but A will kill you. AB means you have both A and B proteins, and can therefore accept any type of blood and only donate to AB people, since those with any other blood type will react to AB blood. O can donate to anyone, but only accept O.
Positive and negative corresponds to another whole set of surface proteins which can potentially cause immune responses by mothers to the fetus they are carrying, if mom is a negative blood type and is carrying a baby with a positive blood type.
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