Haemagglutination Blood Grouping, Erythrocytes, Human Blood Groups, Red Blood Cells, Antigenic Determinants, Homologous Antiserum

Haemagglutination Blood Grouping

Haemagglutination Blood Grouping

When agglutinated cells are erythrocytes, the phenomenon is called haemagglutination. Erythrocytes agglutinate when mixed with a homologous antiserum. This is the basis for tests to indentify the species origin of blood cells and for grouping and typing of human erythrocytes. A slide test is commonly performed. Erythrocytes, like bacteria, are mosaics of many antigenic determinants or substances. Human blood groups are named according to the antigens present in the erythrocytes.

The A, B, or 0 group of the erythrocytes are determined by agglutination with a specific antiserum, for example, an anti-A serum will agglutinate A cells but not B or 0 cells. Natural antibodies against A or B are present in individuals whose cells lack the respective antigenic substances. Thus, an individual whose red blood cells contain A, possesses anti-B in his serum, and vice versa. Similarly, the serum of a person with both A and B in his cells contains neither -antibody, and that of an individual without A and B possesses both anti-A and anti-B.

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Haemagglutination Blood Grouping