Rh blood group, D antigen also known as Rh polypeptide 1 (RhPI) or cluster of differentiation

240D (CD240D) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RHD gene.[5]

The RHD gene codes for the RhD erythrocyte membrane protein that is the Rh factor antigen of
the Rh blood group system.[6] RHD has sequence similarity to RHCE, RhAG, RhBG, and RhCG and
these five genes constitute the Rh family. It was proposed that the erythrocyte Rh complex is a
heterotrimer of RhAG, RhD, and RhCE protein subunits.[7] RhAG is a functional ammonia
transporter and is required for normal cell surface expression of RhD and RhCE. Patients who lack
RhD/RhCE/RhAG on the surface of their erythrocytes have hemolytic anemia. Antibodies to the RhD
protein can cause Rh disease.

Contents

 1Model organisms
 2References
 3Further reading
 4See also

Model organisms[edit]
Rhd knockout mouse phenotype show

Model organisms have been used in the study of RHD function. A conditional knockout mouse line,
called Rhdtm1a(EUCOMM)Wtsi[12][13] was generated as part of the International Knockout Mouse
Consortium program — a high-throughput mutagenesis project to generate and distribute animal
models of disease to interested scientists.[14][15][16]
Male and female animals underwent a standardized phenotypic screen to determine the effects of
deletion.[10][17] Twenty five tests were carried out on mutant mice and one significant abnormality was
observed: homozygous mutant males had a decrease in mean corpuscular hemoglobin.[10]

References