Question

Jane has her blood type O (Rh negative). Mary, her friend, who is a student of A&P class, has developed a pernicious anemia after a partial gastrectomy. Jane wants to donate her blood for Mary, but Mary turned it down. Mary thinks it is not safe for her because she learns that there are antibodies A and B in Jane blood and antigen A in her blood. She claims that the antibody A in Jane’s blood will react to antigen A in her blood. (Remember when you practice a simulation lab of blood typing; there is a “clumping” agglutination when you drop antibody- A to a blood type A sample)

1) What do you think about Mary’s conclusion?

2) Do you agree with Mary that the agglutination may occur in her blood after the transfusion?

3) Assuming cross-matching blood is not available, what is your advice to Mary?

Answer 1

1. Mary's conclusion is wrong. There will not be any agglutination because of transfusion of Jane's blood.

2. It's given that Jane has O negative blood. O negative blood group are universal donor. It means that the blood of these can be donated to any blood group individual.

RBC of O group has no antigen and so agglutination does not occur with any other group of blood. O group has only antibody A and B.

Although the Mary's blood has antigen A, but the antibody A from Jane's blood will not agglutinate the RBCs because these antibodies are present in small amount in plasma of O group. So they don't cause agglutination.

For agglutination to occur, the antibodies should be present in the plasma of recepient.

3. I would advise marry to receive blood from Jane as she has an universal donor blood group. O negative can donate blood to anyone.