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
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 that hold
antibodies to which blood samples will 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

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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.
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.

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REFERENCES
Blood: the basics. (2019, February 11). Retrieved from
https://professionaleducation.blood.ca/en/transfusion/publications/blood-basics.
Technology Networks. (2018, August 30). Antigen vs Antibody – What Are the Differences? Retrieved
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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
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Why is blood grouping important? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lornelabs.com/news-
events/blog/why-is-blood-grouping-important.