Antigens and Antibodies

Antigens are in the surface of the red blood cell

These can take the form of A, B or None (O) (phenotypes)
The surface also has RH which could be positive or negative

Example

If they don't have A antigens, then they would have A antigens

If they don't have RH, then there would be RH antigens

They can donate to the people who don't have the antibody of their antigen
Negative RH can donate to negative and positive (lack of antibodies)
O (lack of antibodies) can donate to any

For example:
A- can donate to A (No A antibody) or AB (No A antibody, B antibody won't react with A),
any RH (no RH antibody), receive from A, O
 AB- can donate to AB, receive from A, B, AB, O

Structure

Glycolipid (carbohydrate) and glycoprotein (carbohydrate and proteins) are used as a cell
marker, so that other cells can recognize it

Important

The ABO blood group system uses carbohydrate antigens. These are attached to
glycoproteins and glycolipids on the cell membrane.

The order of oligosaccharides (building block of glycoprotein and glycolipids) chains in the
carbohydrate determines what blood type it is.

How does the body create antibodies? ​

Starting from a young age, people are exposed to foreign antigens. For example, a person
with an A blood type might consume something that contains the B antigen. Since B
antigen is missing in the RBC, the body naturally create the antibody for B.
 Some illnesses (necrotizing) can alter a person's phenotype, turning their A1 antigen into a
B-like antigen.

Hemolytic Disease of Newborn

A disease called Hemolytic Disease of Newborn can be dangerous as the mother's

antibodies attack the baby's antibodies, in these steps:

1. The baby is born of A or B phenotype (from the father), while the mother is O
2. The baby have A or B antigens, which leak through the placenta with RBC into the
mother
3. The mother naturally create A or B antibodies as a response
4. The antibodies leak into the baby, attacking the RBC

Immunity

The white blood cell recognize pathogens by the large molecules on their membrane
(protein, glycolipid, glycoprotein, polysaccharide, toxins, and waste product)
They can either be phagocytes or lymphocytes
Antibodies are glycoprotein
The white blood cell attacking is called the immune response