ABO Blood Group System (Blood Type)

The ABO Blood Group System determines an individual's blood type (A, B, AB, or O) based on the presence or absence of specific antigens on red blood cells. This system is crucial for safe blood transfusions, organ transplants, and can influence susceptibility to certain diseases and conditions.

📋 About This Biomarker

The ABO system classifies blood into four main types - A, B, AB, and O - based on the presence or absence of A and B antigens on red blood cells. Type A has A antigens, type B has B antigens, type AB has both, and type O has neither. These types also determine which antibodies are present in the plasma and play a key role in safe blood transfusions.

🎯 Why We Test This

Testing the ABO blood group system is essential for safe blood transfusions, as receiving incompatible blood can cause life-threatening immune reactions. This testing is also crucial for organ transplantation compatibility and during pregnancy to identify potential ABO incompatibility between mother and fetus, which can lead to hemolytic disease of the newborn. Additionally, ABO blood typing may be requested for paternity testing, forensic investigations, or as part of routine medical records, and some research suggests certain blood types may have different susceptibilities to specific diseases.

⚠️ What Affects It

Factors influencing ABO blood type include genetic inheritance from parents, as blood type is determined by specific alleles inherited in a Mendelian pattern. Unlike other biomarkers, ABO blood type remains constant throughout life and is not affected by age, diet, medications, disease states, or environmental factors. However, certain rare conditions such as ABO phenotype changes due to hematologic malignancies, bone marrow transplantation from a donor with a different blood type, or extremely rare genetic chimerism can alter apparent blood typing results.

📈 How to Improve

The ABO blood group system is a genetically determined trait that cannot be changed or improved through lifestyle modifications or medical interventions. Your blood type (A, B, AB, or O) is fixed from birth and remains constant throughout life. However, understanding your blood type is crucial for safe blood transfusions, organ transplants, and pregnancy planning. The most important action is to know your blood type and ensure this information is accurately documented in medical records and emergency identification. Regular blood typing verification before medical procedures and maintaining up-to-date medical records help prevent potentially life-threatening transfusion reactions or compatibility issues during emergencies.