Blood Types
Blood typing can be a hard concept to understand, so before I try to explain I am going to give you some vocabulary.
Antigens- are substances ( bacteria, viruses, foreign molecules, etc) that trigger an immune response.
Surface Antigens-substances found on our cell membranes that our immune system ignores
Blood Type- how our blood is classified based on the presence or absence of certain surface antigens
Agglutinins- antibodies found in our plasma that attack foreign red blood cells
Agglutination- lumping of agglutinins with the surface antigens on foreign red blood cells
A blood type is pretty much what type of blood you have. It tells you what type of blood you can receive and who you can give your blood to. Your blood type depends on the presence or absence of certain antigens. There are eight different blood types
Antigens- are substances ( bacteria, viruses, foreign molecules, etc) that trigger an immune response.
Surface Antigens-substances found on our cell membranes that our immune system ignores
Blood Type- how our blood is classified based on the presence or absence of certain surface antigens
Agglutinins- antibodies found in our plasma that attack foreign red blood cells
Agglutination- lumping of agglutinins with the surface antigens on foreign red blood cells
A blood type is pretty much what type of blood you have. It tells you what type of blood you can receive and who you can give your blood to. Your blood type depends on the presence or absence of certain antigens. There are eight different blood types
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Blood Type O can give to every kind of blood but can only receive blood type O. This is true because it has no surface antigens to get attacked by antibodies. Blood type AB can receive blood from every type because it does not have any antibodies that will attack surface antigens so they can take any kind of blood.
Positive and NEGATIVE blood types
For you blood to be positive or negative either your red blood cells have the Rhesus antigen or it does not. Your blood will be positive if you have the protein and negative if you do not have the protein. If you have positive blood and you are given negative blood even of the same type of blood you have, it can tear down your immune system.
NegativeYour blood is negative if it does not have Rh on its surface.
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PositiveYou have positive blood if your blood has Rh on its surface.
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