What’s the difference between blood in people that means we have different “types” and why are some incompatible?
In: Biology
Immune system explanation time.
Basically, the way your immune system works is that certain proteins are present on your defense cells that will attach to certain other proteins, called antigens, on other cells. It’s how they attach to bacteria. Due to genetics, your blood cells have a certain antigen on them that should be different than one your white blood cells will bond to. If that’s not the case, that’s something entirely different and bad.
The types of blood cells, roughly, are A, B, AB, and O. A means their genetics code for either AA or AO, as you have two sets of genes. B means their genetics code for either BB or BO. AB means their genes code for AB, and O means they have the code of OO. Now, O has no antigens, AB has A and B antigens, A has only A, and B only B. Basically, they have to determine what blood tyoe they have, and then select one that won’t be attacked by the immune system. An A needs A or O, a B needs B or O, a AB needs A, B, AB, or O, and an O needs O, because, respectively, an antigen that is present in the new blood an that wasn’t in the old will be attacked by the receivers immune system. This is also why organ transplants are difficult, as there’s even more complexoty and variety of antigens.
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