Who can give blood to whom?
Check twelve donor and patient pairs, from O− to A+ and AB+ to O−. Find the antigens on the donor's red cells and the antibodies in the patient's blood, and sort each transfusion as safe or not safe.
Core concept
Red cells may carry A, B and Rh antigens; a patient's blood attacks any A or B it lacks, and an Rh-negative patient reacts to Rh, so O− can give to everyone and AB+ can take from everyone
Topic: Our body and health
Your blood group is set by markers called antigens on your red blood cell: The tiny building block that every living thing is made of. All key words. Group A cells carry A, group B carry B, group AB carry both and group O carry neither. Your plasma has antibodies against the ones you lack: group A has anti-B, group B has anti-A, group O has both and group AB has none. A second marker, Rh, makes you positive (+) if you have it or negative (−) if you do not; an Rh-negative person can make anti-Rh if given Rh-positive blood. A transfusion is safe only if the donor's red cells carry nothing the patient's blood will attack. So O− (no A, B or Rh) can be given to anyone in an emergency, and AB+ (no antibodies) can receive any group.
What you will learn
- Name the antigens on red cells in the ABO and Rh groups.
- Explain why some transfusions are unsafe.
- Explain why O− is the universal donor and AB+ the universal receiver.
Before you start
- Know the parts of blood: red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma.
Materials
- None
Equipment
- None
Procedure
- Pick a donor and patient card and check the donor's antigens and the patient's antibodies.
- Do this for at least six pairs.
- Sort every pair as safe or not safe.