This document provides information about different blood group types including ABO and Rh blood grouping systems. It discusses the discovery of blood groups by Karl Landsteiner who received the Nobel Prize for this work. The four main blood groups based on ABO antigens are described as well as inheritance of these antigens. The importance of matching blood types during transfusions and issues that can arise from mismatches like agglutination are explained. Rh factor and hemolytic disease in newborns due to Rh incompatibility are also summarized. The document concludes with brief information about the MNS blood grouping system.

1. DR. HARISINGH GOUR CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
SAGAR(M.P)
SESSION-2018-19
POPULATION GENETIC AND EVOLUTION
BLOOD GROUPS
MADE BY:- NAGENDRA SAHU(MSc 2nd Sem./Y18265012)
GUIDED BY:- DR. DEEPALI JATT(DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY)

2. CONTENTS
1. INTRODUTION
2. BLOOD GROUP TYPES: ABO BLOOD GROUPING (A,B, AB,O)
3. RH FACTOR
4. ERYTHROBLASTOSIS FETALIS (RH INCOMPATIBILITY)
5. MNS BLOOD GROUPING

3. Blood group
INTRODUCTION:-
Blood typing is a way to categorise different types of antigens found on the surface of red blood cells. The
antigens on the surface of red blood cells have a special nametag agglutinogens. The ABO blood group
describes just one set of agglutinogens (antigens), which are genetically determined carbohydrate
molecules carried on the surface membranes of the red blood cells (there are over 100 different ways to
type blood).
• Austrian Karl Landsteiner(1900) discovered -
• Human blood possess different antigenic and immune properties
• Blood clumping was an immunological reaction.
• Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1930.

4. BLOOD GROUP TYPES: A, B, AB,O GROUP
• Blood group antigens are actually sugars attached to the red blood cell.
• Antigens are “built” onto the red cell.
• Individuals inherit a gene which codes for specific sugar(s) to be added to the red cell.
• The type of sugar added determines the blood group
There are two principles:-
• 1-almost all normal healthy individuals above 3-6 months of age have “ naturally occurring Abs”
to the ABO Ags that they lack.
• 2- These “naturally occurring” Abs are mostly IgM class. That means that, they are Abs capable of
agglutinating saline/ low protein suspended red cell without enhancement.

5. • According to the ABO blood groups, there are two different types of agglutinogens
(antigens): type A agglutinogens and type B agglutinogens. These agglutinogens may or may
not be present on the surface of your red blood cells in four different combinations.
If you are:
• Blood type A:- type A agglutinogens are present on the surface of red blood cells
• Blood type B :- type B agglutinogens are present on the surface of red blood cells
• Blood type AB:- both A and B agglutinogens are present on the surface of red blood cells
• Blood type O:- neither A or B agglutinogens are present on the surface of red blood cells
The white blood cells of your immune system recognise agglutinogens (antigens) of your own
blood type as belonging inside your body, and therefore do not attack your own blood cells.

6. PROBLEM:- what would happen is a physician accidentally transfuses type B blood into a
person with blood type A?
ANS:- IN CASE 1: the immune system of a person with type A blood would respond by attacking the ‘foreign’
type B blood cells. The immune response would involve the production of antibodies. There are a number of
ways the antibodies can attack an invader, but the most common is for antibodies to chain invading cells or
viruses together in large clumps. These clumps are then easily attacked and destroyed by phagocytic white
blood cells.
IN CASE 2: In the case of the mismatched blood transfusion above, antibodies in the type A person
would attack and clump together the foreign type B blood cells. This reaction, where foreign cells are chained
together by antibodies and form clumps, is called agglutination. Antibodies that attack foreign red blood cells
also have a special name called agglutinins.
PROBLEM OF BLOOD GROUP

8. IMPORTANCE OF ABO GROUPS IN BLOOD TRANSFUSION
• During blood transfusion, only compatible blood must be used. The one who gives blood is called
the ‘donor’ and the one who receives the blood is called ‘recipient’.
• While transfusing the blood, antigen of the donor and the antibody of the recipient are
considered. The antibody of the donor and antigen of the recipient are ignored mostly.
• Thus, RBC of ‘O’ group has no antigen and so agglutination does not occur with any other group
of blood. So, ‘O’ group blood can be given to any blood group persons and the people with this
blood group are called ‘universal donors’.
• Plasma of AB group blood has no antibody. This does not cause agglutination of RBC from any
other group of blood. People with AB group can receive blood from any blood group persons. So,
people with this blood group are called ‘universal recipients’.

9. Rh factor
• Rh factor is an antigen present in RBC. This antigen was discovered by Landsteiner and
Wiener. It was first discovered in Rhesus monkey and hence the name ‘Rh factor’. There
are many Rh antigens but only the D antigen is more antigenic in human.
• The persons having D antigen are called ‘Rh positive’ and those without D antigen are
called ‘Rh negative’.
• Among Indian population, 85% of people are Rh positive and 15% are Rh negative.
Percentage of Rh positive people is more among black people.
• Rh group system is different from ABO group system because, the antigen D does not
have corresponding natural antibody (anti-D). However, if Rh positive blood is transfused
to a Rh negative person anti-D is developed in that person. On the other hand, there is no
risk of complications if the Rh positive person receives Rh negative blood.

10. INHERITANCE OF Rh ANTIGEN
Rhesus factor is an inherited dominant factor. It may be homozygous Rhesus
positive with DD or heterozygous Rhesus positive with Dd. Rhesus
Negative occurs only with complete absence of D (with homozygous dd).

11. HEMOLYTIC DISEASE OF FETUS AND NEWBORN –ERYTHROBLASTOSIS FETALIS
 It is due to Rh incompatibility, the difference between
the Rh blood group of the mother and baby.
 Hemolytic disease leads to erythroblastosis fetalis.
 Erythroblastosis fetalis is a disorder in fetus,
characterized by the presence of erythroblasts in blood.

12. Mns blood group
• The MNS blood group system was discovered by Landsteiner and Levine in 1927.
• Originally represented by the antigens M and N it was later expanded to include the newly
discovered characters S , s and U .
• In the course of further investigations a large number of low-frequency antigenic characters
have been described which are closely associated with the MNS system.
• The MNS antigens are generally considered as characteristics of erythrocytes and their
precursor cells in bone marrow.
• the antigens of the MNS system can be found on mature erythrocytes in young human
fetuses.
• as far as investigated, these antigens are fully developed at birth.
• MN determinants have also been detected on erythroid leukemia cells.

13. Reference’s
1. Essentials of Medical Physiology
(Sixth Edition K Sembulingam PhD and Prema Sembulingam PhD)
2. Biochemistry
(Voet and voet 6th edition)