STIMULATED ABO BLOOD-TYPING ACTIVITIES

Group 6: Ron Edward B. Caballero, Melanie Pearl P. Benigno, Ria Kathleen A. Comia,
Claire J. Jaradal, Tricia Keith B. Taneo
11-Curie

ABSTRACT
Blood typing test is a test done in order to determine the blood type of a person,
whether he/she can give or receive blood through blood transfusion. Blood samples were
drawn from the students and mixed with a set of serums in order to determine the blood
type. The reactions of the blood samples to the serums were analysed to determine the
blood type. Conclusions were then formulated.

INTRODUCTION that hold antibodies to which blood samples will

Red blood cells contain substances called
antigens, which has different types depending on a
person's blood type. Blood type is an example of a
characteristic determined by multiple alleles. In
this instance, the alleles involved are IA, IB, and i.
Alleles IA and IB exhibit co-dominance while
allele i is recessive to both.
Blood type is important because it
determines whether a person can give or receive
blood to another person through blood transfusion.
The human body only accepts blood from donors
that has the same antigens it possesses; otherwise,
it rejects the blood by producing antibodies against
it.
Table 1. ABO System
Persons with blood type AB can receive
from any blood type but can only give to those
with blood type AB whereas persons with blood
type O can give to any blood type but can only
receive from blood type O. Aside from the
previously-stated rules, persons with blood type A
can give and receive from those with blood type A
while persons with blood type B can give and
receive from those with blood type B.
In this activity, students will perform
blood typing. Blood typing utilizes a set of serums
react in a particular manner depending on what
antigen they carry. Students are expected to
determine what blood type they possess at the end
of this activity.
METHODS
The blood typing test was conducted
inside the classroom under the teacher’s
supervision. The materials used were alcohol,
cotton, lancets, glass slides, anti-A serum, anti-B
serum, and anti-Rh serum.
Before the test, students cleaned and
disinfected the skin on their ring fingers using
cotton and alcohol to prevent infection. The
students were asked to prick their ring fingers with
lancets to draw samples of blood. The first drop of
blood was wiped out, and the three succeeding
drops were separately placed on one glass slide. In
order to determine the blood type, a drop of anti-A
serum, anti-B serum, and anti-Rh serum were
mixed with the first, second, and third drop of
blood on the glass slide respectively. If the blood
cells clump together when mixed with (1) anti-A
serum only, the blood is type A, (2) anti-B serum
only, the blood is type B, (3) both anti-A serum
and anti-B serum, the blood is type AB, (4) neither
anti-A serum nor anti-B serum, the blood is type
O, (5) anti-Rh serum, the blood type’s Rhesus (Rh)
factor is positive, otherwise it is negative.
After the test, the used materials were
disposed in the designated trash container.

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RESULTS
Reaction Blood
Student
Blood Typing Picture Anti-A Anti-B Anti-Rh Typing
#
Serum Serum Serum Result

no no
1 clumping O+
reaction reaction

Image 1. Glass slide showing the blood typing result of student

1

no no
2 clumping O+
reaction reaction

Image 2. Glass slide showing the blood typing result of student

2

no no
3 clumping O+
reaction reaction

Image 3. Glass slide showing the blood typing result of student

3

no
4 clumping clumping B+
reaction

Image 4. Glass slide showing the blood typing result of student

4

5 clumping clumping clumping AB+

Image 5. Glass slide showing the blood typing result of student

5
Table 2. Blood Typing Analysis of Group Members

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DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The blood types of the students in this
group varied among O+, B+, and AB+. During
the activity, blood types that showed clumping
when anti-A serum was added were types A
(positive or negative) and AB (positive or
negative). The clumping indicated that these
blood types contained A antigens that reacted
with the A antibodies in the serum. For the blood
types that showed clumping when anti-B serum
was added were types B (positive and negative)
and AB (positive and negative). The clumping
indicated that these blood types contained B
antigens that reacted with the B antibodies in the
serum. In cases that clumping occurs for both
anti-A and anti-B serums, it indicates the
presence of both A antigens and B antigens in the
blood. This means the person’s blood type is AB
(could be positive or negative). If no reaction was
observed when both anti-A and anti-B serums
were added, it indicates the absence of A antigens
and B antigens in the blood. This means the
person’s blood type is O (could be positive or
negative).
There are blood types that are called
“universal recipient” and “universal donor”.
Type AB blood have both A and B antigens on
their red blood cells, and thus their body does not
have antibodies against A or B antigen cells, so
they can receive blood from any blood type and
considered to be universal recipient. On the other
hand, type O- blood have no A, B or Rh antigens
on their red blood cells and can therefore be
safely given to people of any blood group. In
addition, Type O has neither A nor B antigens on
its red blood cells, but both A and B antibodies in
its plasma. As a result, those with type O blood
can only receive this type in transfusions since its
plasma antibodies would attack anything else.
The accurate grouping or matching of
blood is very important when it comes to having
a blood transfusion. If blood is given to patient
(recipient) that has a blood type that is
incompatible with the blood type of the donor, it
can cause intravenous clumping in the patient’s
blood which can be fatal. The patient’s body can
start producing antibodies that attack the antigens
on the blood cells in the blood that was given to
the patient, causing reaction and rejection.
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Antigens are molecules that can induce
an immune response while antibodies are proteins
produced by B cells of the immune system that
recognize and bond to antigens. Each antibody
contains a paratope which recognizes a specific
epitope on an antigen, acting like a lock and key
binding mechanism.
The ABO blood types are based on the
presence or absence of two major antigens
(antigen A and antigen B) on the red blood cells
membranes. Their presence or absence is
determined by heredity. The types of blood with
the corresponding antigens are type A with
antigen A, type B with antigen B, type AB with
both antigen A and B, and type O without either
antigen A or B.
CONCLUSIONS
Knowing a person’s blood type is vital
for it determines whether you can give or receive
blood from another person. This can be done
through blood typing test, wherein blood samples
from a person are tested using a set of serums.
People’s blood types vary due to the antigens and
antibodies present in their blood. Blood type O is
the called the universal blood donor and blood
type AB is the universal blood recipient.
REFERENCES
Blood: the basics. (2019, February 11). Retrieved
from
https://professionaleducation.blood.ca/en/transfu
sion/publications/blood-basics.
Technology Networks. (2018, August 30).
Antigen vs Antibody – What Are the
Differences? Retrieved from
https://www.technologynetworks.com/immunol
ogy/articles/antigen-vs-antibody-what-are-the-
differences-293550.
TodayIFoundOut.com, M.-. (2014, May 15).
Why Can't You Receive Blood from Someone
With a Different Blood Type? Retrieved from
https://gizmodo.com/why-can-t-you-receive-
blood-from-someone-with-a-differe-
1576763774.
Whitlock, J., & Msn. (2019, September 28). What
Is the Universal Recipient Blood Type? Retrieved
from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-a-
universal-recipient-3157299.
Why is blood grouping important? (n.d.).
Retrieved from
https://www.lornelabs.com/news-
events/blog/why-is-blood-grouping-important.