"The antigens are located on the surface of the red blood cells and the antibodies are in the blood plasma. Individuals have different types and combinations of these molecules" (Blood group, 2010, Nobel Prize).
The ABO and Rh classifications of blood type are the most important systems of differentiation from a medial perspective. The mismatching of these types can cause the immune system to attack the cells in a hostile fashion during a transfusion. "Mixing incompatible blood groups leads to blood clumping or agglutination, which is dangerous for individuals. The clumped red cells can crack and cause toxic reactions. This can have fatal consequences" (Blood group, 2010, Nobel Prize).
"There are two antigens and two antibodies that are mostly responsible for the ABO types. The specific combination of these four components determines an individual's type
(O'Neil 2009). However, "individuals with type O blood do not produce ABO antigens which mean their blood is unlikely to be rejected by individuals with other types of blood…as a result, type O people are universal donors for transfusions, but they can receive only type O blood themselves....
Those who have type AB blood do not make any ABO antibodies. Their blood does not discriminate against any other ABO type. Consequently, they are universal receivers for transfusions, but their blood will be agglutinated when given to people with every other type because they produce both kinds of antigens" (O'Neil 2009).
References
Blood group, blood type. (2001, December). Nobel Prize. Retrieved February 11, 2010 at http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/landsteiner/readmore.html
Hoyt, Alia. (2010). How vaccines work. How stuff works. Retrieved February 11, 2010 at http://health.howstuffworks.com/vaccine.htm
Kaiser, Gary E. (2007, October). The adaptive immune system. Retrieved February 11, 2010 at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/courses/bio141/lecguide/unit5/intro/overview/overview.html
O'Neil. Dennis (2009, December 19). Human blood: ABO systems. Human Blood. Retrieved February 11, 2010 at http://anthro.palomar.edu/blood/ABO_system.htm
Racaniello, Vincent. (2009, July 3). Adaptive immune defenses. Virology blog.
http://www.virology.ws/2009/07/03/adaptive-immune-defenses/
