Scientists use two types of antigens to classify blood types:Īntigens and antibodies play a role in the immune system’s defense mechanism. detecting unwanted cells that could cause illness.maintaining the structure of red blood cells.transporting other molecules into and out of the cell.The antigens in blood have various functions, including: The types and features of antigens can vary between individuals, due to small genetic differences. The blood group will depend on which antigens are on the surface of the red blood cells.Īntigens are molecules. plasma, which is a yellowish liquid that contains proteins and salts.white blood cells, which play a crucial role in the immune system.red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.And just like in humans, it’s necessary to match blood types during a transfusion! Karl Landsteiner won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930 for his discovery of human blood groups.Share on Pinterest Bloomberg Creative/Getty Images Like in humans, blood groups in animals vary by region. Horses have groups A, C, D, K, P, Q, and U. Pigs can have Ea, Eb, Ga, Ha, and Ka blood. Dogs can have type A, B, C, D, F, or Tr blood. Other animals have entirely different blood groups. As of now, there are 36 recognized human blood groups.Īnd humans aren't the only species with different blood types!Ĭats also have an ABO blood system, though it’s not exactly the same as ours. So far, we have only scratched the surface by talking about Rhesus group in humans. To be Rh positive, Rh antigens should be present on your red blood cells. Antigens on your red blood cells make your blood type. elegans, Rh just transports ammonia gas out of the worms. But since they don’t have red blood cells, they cannot have Rhesus blood type! In C. This means that you only have Rhesus blood group if you have Rh antigens on your red blood cells.įor example, the worm C. And to have Rhesus blood type, your red blood cells should have Rh antigens. So to have blood type A, B, AB, or O, your red blood cells will have A antigen, B antigen, both A and B antigens, or neither. Similar to antennas on stereo to catch radio signals, antigens are present on cells to read signals from their environment. I mentioned that other animals have some forms of Rh … but it doesn’t automatically mean that they have Rhesus blood group!īlood groups are determined by different groups of antigens present on red blood cells. They probably have similar jobs in the cell. Image modified from Wikimedia Rh in non-humans These two molecules have very similar structure. ![]() Since Amt is found in really ancient lifeforms like Archaea, we know that Rh must have evolved from that more ancient protein. Rh and Amt don’t just share DNA sequence: they also have similar jobs! Just like Rh molecules, Amt carries and distributes gas within cells. ![]() You have a piece of DNA that makes Rh molecules – and that DNA looks very similar to the DNA instructions for Amt. In the same way that DNA has instructions for what you might look like, it also has instructions for how your molecules get made. Rh and Amt have similar DNA instructions. When they did this comparison, scientists also found that Rh is very similar to a different molecule: Amt. There will be a few changes, which cause the Rh molecules of those animals to be slightly different from yours. When you do this, you find that other animals have very similar Rh! But Rh in other species is not exactly the same. To learn where Rh came from, scientists compared Rh to a bunch of other molecules. Archaea are believed to be the most ancient life form on Earth – and they have some form of Rh molecules! Image from Wikimedia But wait, how do scientists know Rh is similar to Amt? Amt is found in every living thing - even in Archaea, which is possibly the most ancient life form on Earth. It’s descended from a molecule called Amt. Rhesus factor has an even more ancient origin. ![]() It turns out that some forms of Rhesus molecules are found in most life forms … ranging from algae to fish to human! Even a few kinds of bacteria have Rh molecules. It did get its name from the Rhesus macaque monkey, but not because we got it from them! Scientists just happened to first discover this blood type in Rhesus monkeys. There are other posts on this site that talk about the basics of Rhesus factor, so here I will talk more about the evolution of Rhesus factor, and blood type in animals. Just like A is a blood type from ABO blood group, Rh factor is a blood type from Rhesus blood group. ![]() Rhesus factor is a part of your blood type.
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