How Do Blood Groups Affect Health and Compatibility?
In the human body, blood plays a major role in the transportation of hormones, nutrients, respiratory gases, hormones, etc. It is known as the only fluid connective tissue, which is because blood cells develop connections between different organs.
Along with transportation, blood is also involved in different thermoregulation processes, maintains and regulates body temperature, pH and another body metabolism. As per scientists’ views and observations, the total volume of the blood in the human body should be about seven to eight per cent of the complete bodyweight, which will be about 5 to 5.5 litres or 1.5 gallons of blood.
What are Blood Groups?
Blood groups, also called blood types, can be defined as the grouping of blood and are based on the presence or absence of genetically derived antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs). The antigenic substances may either be carbohydrates, glycolipids, proteins or glycoproteins, depending on the blood type system.
Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian scientist discovered the ABO blood group system in the year 1900. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery of his.
A Blood group or blood type is a blood-classification, categorized on the basis of presence and absence of antibodies and genetically derived antigenic particles on the surface of RBCs. There are 4 main blood groups of human blood which are O, A, B, and AB, which is also called the ABO blood type. For a safe transfusion, a specific way should be followed to match the blood groups.
Blood Group A– Presence of antigen A on the RBCs and antibody B in the plasma.
Blood group B– Presence of antigen B on the RBCs and A antibody in the plasma.
Blood group AB– Presence of both antigen A and B on the red blood cells and lacks the antibody.
Blood group O– Absence of both antigen A and B on the red blood cells and presence of both the antibodies A and B in the plasma.
Know the Different Types of Blood Groups along with its Rh Factor.
There are numerous interesting facts about Blood Groups which we are not aware of. Some facts about the Blood Groups are listed in the points below.
Fact-No-1
A newborn baby has only one cup of blood in the whole body, whereas, the healthy adult has about 1.3 to 1.6 gallons or 4.0 to 5.0 litres of blood circulating inside their body
Fact-No-2
Blood type influences one’s personality, which can also affect your fertility and belly fat. Women with blood type O are more likely to deal with fertility issues.
Fact-No-3
The Red blood cells that do not contain either A or B antigens on their surface are normally found in the person with blood type O.
Fact-No-4
Anybody with good health, healthy weight and around the age of 17 years old can donate blood every 3 to 4 months.
Fact-No-5
By the process of blood transfusion, every year more than 4.5 million lives are saved
Fact-No-6
No one can get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood and donating blood takes less than 15 minutes.
Fact-No-7
Human blood has no other substitute and it makes 7 to 8 percent of total body weight.
Fact-No-8
Transfusion with a blood group different from yours can lead to complications.
Fact-No-9
In ABO blood type, a transfusion of AB blood group can be given to a person who has blood type A, B and AB.
Fact-No-10
AB blood type is known to be the “universal recipient” because AB+ people can accept blood from any other blood type. AB- is the least common blood type, which is less than 1% of the population. An individual with AB- blood type can receive blood from all three negative blood types.
Fact-No-11
O blood type is called to be the “universal donor” because O+ is the most frequently occurring blood group in the ABO type. About 37 to 40 percent of the entire population are found with this blood type. O- is the rare blood group as it is found in 6 to 7 per cent of the total population.
Fact-No-12
A+ is the third most frequently occurring blood type in the ABO system. Thirty people out of hundred people have A+ blood type. A- is the rare blood type, which is less than 10 to 15 percent of the population has this blood type.
Fact-No-13
Both B+ and B- are rare blood types and less than 10 percent of the population has this blood type.
Fact-No-14
Like hair colour, texture, and eye colour, blood type is also inherited or passed genetically from our parents. Therefore, our blood group is based on the blood types of either mother or father.
Fact-No-15
Blood Types and Compatible Blood Type Donors
FAQs on Blood Groups Explained: Types, Importance, and Key Facts
1. What are blood groups and how are they determined?
Blood groups are classifications of blood based on the presence or absence of specific inherited substances, called antigens, on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs). The two most important systems for this classification are the ABO system and the Rh system. Your blood group is determined by the combination of antigens you inherit from your parents.
2. What are the main types of blood groups in the ABO system?
The ABO system categorises blood into four main types based on the presence of antigen A and antigen B:
Blood Group A: Has A antigens on the RBCs and anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
Blood Group B: Has B antigens on the RBCs and anti-A antibodies in the plasma.
Blood Group AB: Has both A and B antigens on the RBCs and no anti-A or anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
Blood Group O: Has no antigens on the RBCs but has both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
3. What is the importance of the Rh factor in blood grouping?
The Rh factor is another important antigen found on the surface of red blood cells, known as the Rh antigen (or D antigen). Its presence or absence determines if a blood type is positive (+) or negative (-). If the Rh antigen is present, the blood type is Rh-positive (e.g., A+). If it is absent, the blood type is Rh-negative (e.g., A-). This is crucial for blood transfusions and especially important during pregnancy to prevent erythroblastosis fetalis (haemolytic disease of the newborn).
4. Why is it important to know your blood group?
Knowing your blood group is critically important for medical emergencies. In case you need a blood transfusion, receiving blood that is compatible with your own is essential to prevent a potentially fatal immune reaction. It is also vital for blood donation, organ transplantation, and for pregnant women to check compatibility with their baby's blood type to avoid complications.
5. Can you explain the blood compatibility for donation and reception?
Blood compatibility is based on matching antigens and antibodies. A person can receive blood that does not have antigens they have antibodies against. Here is a simple compatibility overview:
O- can donate to all blood types (universal donor).
O+ can donate to all positive blood types (O+, A+, B+, AB+).
A- can donate to A-, A+, AB-, AB+.
A+ can donate to A+, AB+.
B- can donate to B-, B+, AB-, AB+.
B+ can donate to B+, AB+.
AB- can donate to AB-, AB+.
AB+ can donate to AB+ only, but can receive from all types (universal recipient).
6. Why is blood group O called the 'universal donor' and AB the 'universal recipient'?
Blood group O-negative is called the 'universal donor' because its red blood cells have no A, B, or Rh antigens. Since there are no antigens to trigger an immune response, it can be safely transfused to individuals of any blood type in an emergency. Conversely, blood group AB-positive is known as the 'universal recipient' because individuals with this blood type have no anti-A or anti-B antibodies in their plasma, so they can safely receive red blood cells from any ABO blood type.
7. What happens if someone receives the wrong type of blood?
If a person receives an incompatible blood type, their immune system will attack the transfused red blood cells. This is called a transfusion reaction. The recipient's antibodies bind to the antigens on the donor's RBCs, causing them to clump together in a process called agglutination. This clumping can block blood vessels, lead to kidney failure, shock, and can be life-threatening.
8. Is there a 'strongest' or 'best' blood group?
Biologically, no single blood group is considered 'strongest' or 'best'. Each blood type has its own immunological characteristics. The terms 'strong' or 'valuable' are often used in the context of blood donation. For instance, O-negative blood is highly valuable because it is the 'universal donor' and can be used in emergencies when a patient's blood type is unknown. However, this does not imply any inherent biological superiority for the person with that blood type.
9. How is a person's blood group inherited from their parents?
A person's ABO blood type is determined by the inheritance of one allele from each parent. The A and B alleles are codominant, while the O allele is recessive. For example, if one parent passes on an A allele and the other passes on a B allele, the child will have blood type AB. If one parent passes on an A allele and the other an O allele, the child will have blood type A. A child can only have blood type O if they inherit an O allele from both parents.
10. What are the most common and rarest blood groups?
The prevalence of blood groups varies among different populations. Globally, the most common blood group is O-positive. The rarest blood group is typically AB-negative, found in less than 1% of the world's population. Another extremely rare type is 'Golden Blood' (Rh-null), which lacks all Rh antigens.
