BLOOD TYPING

BLOOD TYPING: Process of determining the presence or absence of antigens on red blood cells or antibodies in the
serum/plasma for the purpose of identifying a person’s blood type.
• Involved blood groups: ABO and Rh blood groups.
• HOW?
o By placing a source of antigen (Ag) and a source of antibody (Ab) to a testing environment to
detect and Ag-Ab reaction (AGGLUTINATION) and/or the presence of HEMOLYSIS.
• Types:
o Forward Typing – detect Antigen (Ag)
▪ AKA: RED CELL GROUPING
o Reverse Typing– confirmatory test; detect Antibody (Ab)
▪ AKA: SERUM TYPING, BACKWARD TYPING, INDIRECT TYPING
• Methods of Blood Typing:
1. Slide Method
2. Tube Method
3. Gel Test
4. Microplate Technique
• Procedure of Blood Typing: (Forward Typing: Slide Method)
1. Prepare the materials (Antisera A, B, and D, Applicator sticks, glass slides, and marker).
Refrigerated typing sera must be set to room temperature before use.

2. Divide the glass slide into three portions.

A D B
3. Label on one portion as A, another portion as B, and another
portion as D.
4. Perform skin puncture.
5. Place a drop of blood on all portions.
6. Place a drop of Anti-A sera on the portion labeled as “A”, a drop of
Anti-B sera on the portion labeled as “B”, and a drop of anti-D on the
portion labeled as “D”.
7. Careful not to drop the antisera directly on the blood to avoid
contamination of the dropper.
8. Mix the sample and the reagent using different applicator sticks, and gently rotate the slide.

9. Observe the result/agglutination macroscopically and interpret. Interpret only as:

A POSITIVE/NEGATIVE, B POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE, AB POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE, O POSITIVE/
NEGATIVE.

KNFS, 2023
RESULTS/INTERPRETATION FOR BLOOD TYPING:

AGGLUTINATION: Clumping of particles as a result of the binding of

antigen and antibody.
• Note: the clumps are called “agglutinates”.

Note: For Oral Recitation last time I forgot to tell you that you should
have said if your blood type is A positive it should be interpreted as:
“My blood type is A positive because it agglutinated in antisera A and
antisera D therefore, I have A and Rh antigens.”

ABO BLOOD GROUPS: Based on the presence/absence of 2 antigens

(A & B) in the surface of the RBCs:
• Presence of A antigen = Blood type A
• Presence of B antigen = Blood type B
• Presence of both antigens = Blood type AB
• Lack of these antigens = Blood type O

Rh BLOOD GROUP: +/- of blood type.

KNFS, 2023