ABO

Red cell typing

ABO refers to the blood group system that classifies human blood into four types—A, B, AB, and O—based on the presence or absence of specific antigens.

ABO typing is fundamental to blood transfusions and organ transplants: ABO incompatibility can cause fatal transfusion reactions.

The system was discovered in 1901 by Karl Landsteiner.

incompatibility

hemolysis

Red blood cell destruction

transfusion reactionImmune response to foreign blood
mismatchedNot fitting together properly
jaundiceYellowing from bile pigment

crossmatch · rejection · sensitization · bilirubin · hydrops fetalis

compatibility

matching

Identical in appearance

donorOne who contributes freely
recipientOne who receives something
compatibleAble to work together

incompatible · mismatch

antibodies

agglutination

Joining units into wholes

hemolysisRed blood cell destruction
immunoglobulinDefensive blood protein
serologyStudy of blood antibodies

genetics

allele

Gene variant at one locus

chromosomeDNA strand carrying genes
inheritanceProperty received from ancestors
locusParticular position or place

genotype · phenotype · dominant · recessive · codominance · polymorphism · Mendelian · heredity · gene expression

ancestry

heritage

Inherited cultural legacy

lineageDescent from progenitors
anthropologyStudy of human cultures
forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis

identification · paternity

antigens

glycoproteins

Sugar-bound cellular proteins

galactoseMonosaccharide from lactose breakdown
glycosyltransferasesEnzymes attaching saccharide units
polysaccharidesMulti-unit sugar polymers

transfusion

donation

Voluntary charitable gift

phlebotomyExtracting blood medically
lifesavingPreserving human existence

ABO