Joyce Poole, International Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Bristol, UK
Published online: January 2003
DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0002096
Blood group antibodies present in plasma can bind with blood group antigens on red cells and cause a reaction (blood group incompatibility). Antigen–antibody reactions can occur as a result of transfusion (incompatible donor cells) or pregnancy (incompatible fetal cells).
Keywords: blood group antigen; blood group antibody; blood transfusion; transfusion reaction; blood group incompatibility
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Figure 1. Some blood group-active proteins in the red cell membrane. Circle complexes depict carbohydrate structures (ABH).
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Figure 2. (a) Basic structural unit of immunoglobulin (Ig); (b) Papain digestion of IgG molecule creating Fab and Fc fragments; (c) IgG monomer; (d) IgM pentamer. S-S, disulfide bond.
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Figure 3. (a) Intravascular and (b) extravascular red cell destruction.
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Figure 4. (a) Sensitization of red cell antigen with IgM antibody, and (b) agglutination of cells.
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Figure 5. Events leading to haemolytic disease of the newborn.
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| Further Reading | |
| book Daniels G (1995) Human Blood Groups. Oxford: Blackwell Science. | |
| book Issitt PD and Anstee DJ (1998) Applied Blood Group Serology, 4th edn, chaps 3, 6, 35, 36. North Carolina: Montgomery Scientific. | |
| book Mollison PL, Engelfriet CP and Contreras M (1997) Blood Transfusion in Clinical Medicine, 10th edn, chaps 3, 8, 10–12. Oxford: Blackwell Science. | |
| book United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom (2000) Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom, 4th edn. Norwich: The Stationary Office Ltd. | |
| book Vengelen-Tyler V (ed.) (1999) The AABB Technical Manual, 13th edn. Bethesda, MD: American Association of Blood Banks. | |
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