Question

What does \[B + \] blood type mean?

Answer 1

Hint: The blood grouping system is very important during blood transfusions. During blood transfusions, the two most important blood group systems are checked. They are the ABO system and the Rhesus system.

Complete answer:
The ABO blood grouping system is the most common and best known. The ABO blood group contains four types. They are A, B, AB, and O. This system of blood grouping is based on the antigens and antibodies which are present in the blood. Antigens and antibodies are both proteins. Antigens are present on the surface of RBCs, while antibodies are present in the plasma.

The Rhesus (Rh) system is mainly based on the presence or absence of the Rh factor or Rh antigen. It decides whether the blood group is positive or negative. If someone has the Rh factor then he/she is Rh-positive and if they do not have the Rh factor then they are Rh-negative.

Combining the ABO and Rhesus systems results in 8 blood groups. They are \[A + ,{\text{ }}A - ,{\text{ }}B,{\text{ }}B - ,{\text{ }}AB + ,{\text{ }}AB - ,{\text{ }}O + ,{\text{ }}and{\text{ }}O - \] . In case of \[B + \] blood group, according to the ABO system it is in group B and according to Rh system, it is Rh positive. This means that this type of blood has B antigen on the surface of RBCs and anti-A antibodies in the plasma. This individual also has Rh factor or Rh antigen.

Note: An Austrian scientist named Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO system in $1900$. He was also awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery. He discovered the ABO system by mixing different blood types and then noting the agglutinates produced with certain combinations.