Our Blood type It is an integral part of us. It is important that we know it for possible transfusions. If it is unknown and there is no time for analysis, 0- blood is used, as it is a universal donor. But sometimes this is not possible. Now is it worth analyzing from time to time or can the blood group not change?
The normal thing is that it doesn’t change. We will have the same blood type throughout our lives. However, there are specific and very rare situations in which it can change. This usually happens after bone marrow transplantor even from other organs, or after infection.
When it happens due to an infection, it is completely transient. There may also be changes after a bone marrow transplant, but the process is slower. Let’s see what happens, but for that we need to start from the very beginning. What is a blood type?
System AB0
Blood contains red blood cells attached to antigens that vary greatly from person to person. An antigen is any specific molecule that attracts attention the immune systemIn this case, our immune system does not usually attack our own antigens; but if it recognizes others, it interprets that an external attack has occurred and goes on its way. These red blood cell antigens determine our blood type.
This can be measured in different systems, but the most common is AB0. There are four different options: A, B, AB or 0People who have sugar called blood on the surface of their red blood cells are known as blood type A. N-acetylglucosamine. Those in group B have another one called D-galactoseOn the other hand, people with type AB have both sugars, while people with type O have neither. These two sugars cause specific modifications of the surface antigen called H-antigenwhat the immune system recognizes.
Where does positive or negative blood type come from?
This term refers to Rh. It is protein which is also found in red blood cells and causes the immune system to become more reactive. If it is present, we will have a person with Rh+ and if not, then someone with Rx-.
So, let’s take an example: a person who has N-acetylglucosamine sugar and Rh protein on the surface of their red blood cells will have category A+. Someone who has neither sugar nor protein will have 0-. These are just a few examples.
A rare case of the Bombay phenotype.
There is also an extremely rare blood type known as the Bombay phenotype, which lacks the H antigen. surface of red blood cells. So whatever sugar they had would not be modified. It could not be considered A or B. And it also could not be 0, since people with type 0 do have the H antigen, the only difference being that it is not modified by the presence of sugars.
Blood group transfusions
When transfusing blood, it is important to know the blood type of the donor and recipient, since the immune system It will react to any antigen it does not recognize.
For example, if a person with blood type B receives blood from blood type A, their immune system will reject it. You will have to get blood from another person with blood type A or 0, since the latter has no recognizable antigens. Rh is also important. Rh- are the best donors, since there is no protein that could conflict. Therefore, it is believed that universal donor This is 0-. On the contrary, universal receiver It is AB+ because it contains all possible antigens and there is nothing that your immune system can reject.
As for the Bombay phenotype, their blood is much more problematic, as they cannot receive transfusions even from 0-, which has the H antigen. For this reason, they can only receive blood from another Bombay phenotype.
When can blood type change?
When a person with A+ blood who has lost a lot of blood is given a transfusion of 0- blood, most of their red blood cells will now have these antigens. But that quickly changes because your bone marrow, which is the body’s red blood cell factory, will generate new A+ red blood cells. Now what happens if you replace Bone marrow?
In this case, the changes will be completely different. If someone A+ gets a 0- red blood cell factory, then gradually will replace the old one and the person’s blood type will change. Since this is not something unknown, these patients should be monitored medically to know what condition their blood is in.
There have also been even rarer cases involving organ transplants, such as liver transplants. In 2002, a 9-year-old Australian girl named Demi-Leigh Brennan received a liver transplant from a 12-year-old boy. The doctors who treated and monitored her were surprised to learn that her blood type went from 0+ to 0-Somehow, stem cells from his new liver migrated into his bone marrow, so the factory changed the raw materials and started producing blood cells with a different blood type.
Also due to infections
It has been observed that some bacteria can modify surface sugars, so during infection blood type A becomes B. This ends when the pathogen disappears.
In such cases, this is not a positive thing. However, the possibility that some bacteria offer in the laboratory to transform blood from type A or B to type 0 has also been studied. This is a great advantage, since we must remember that donors with type 0 have the most opportunities. recipients.
In short, your blood type usually remains stable. This is the most common option. But in some rare cases, it can change. It is good that doctors know about this and do not leave their patients in the dark about changes. Only in this way can they be performed safe blood transfusion where appropriate.
Source: Hiper Textual
