There are various blood
typing card based on the presence/absence of inherited antigen on the
surface of erythrocytes, AOB and Rh being the most popular ones.
The AOB system is related to the
immunoglobulins anti-A and anti-B, produced during the first years of life.
Presence/absence of certain glycolipids in erythrocyte membrane determines the
A, B, AB, and O blood groups.
The Rhesus system is suffixed to the ABO
system. Although there are about 30 different antigens in this group, the
common blood tests focus only on antigen-D. Rh test shows whether an individual
has (Rh positive) or does not have (Rh negative) the 'Rhesus factor', or
antigen-D, expressed by a transmembrane protein.
ABO system:
Blood group
|
A
|
B
|
AB
|
O
|
Antigens in membrane
|
A
|
B
|
A and B
|
none
|
Antibodies in plasma
|
B
|
A
|
none
|
A and B
|
Rh system:
Blood group
|
Rh+
|
Rh-
|
D-antigen in membrane
|
present
|
absent
|