Almost all of us have heard mention the blood groups: A, B, O and AB. We all have blood that belongs to one of these four groups. But I think it's a question that parents are going to hear and it is convenient to have some basic knowledge about it.
The first groups to be known were the A and B. The blood in their red blood cells has antigens that react with an immune response against the antigens that the red blood cell lacks, producing antibodies.
Group A blood has A antigens in its red blood cells and produces anti B antibodies. B does the opposite. Group 0 blood does not have the A or B antigens, but it does have anti A and anti B antibodies in the plasma, which makes it a universal donor.
The four group, AB, has antigens in the red blood cells of both groups but they have no antibodies in the plasma, so they can receive blood from all groups.
Group A blood can be used for transfusions to group A and AB and B for B and AB. AB blood can be used for transfusions for the same group and 0, as I said, for everyone. On the contrary, ABs can receive from everyone and only 0 from their own group.
The theme of blood groups, its diffusion across the planet and the possible causes of its variability is interesting. We will return to it.
