LESSON PLAN: IMMUNOHEMATOLOGY
HEMATOLOGY | IMMUNOLOGY | BLOOD TYPING
Blood has always been an essential topic of development of sterilization techniques,
there was a significant risk of transmitting
discussion due to its multifaceted use. Since the
diseases through blood transfusions.
dawn of time, blood transfusion has been carried
5. Religious and cultural taboos: Some
out. However, the blood transfusions in older
societies and cultures had strong taboos
times were fruitless and often had disastrous
against blood transfusions, which further
consequences.
limited their use.
6. Lack of suitable donors: Finding compatible
Blood transfusions were difficult in older times
donors was challenging, as there were no
for several reasons:
systematic blood banks or donor registries
1. Limited knowledge of blood types: In the in place. People often rely on family
past, there was little understanding of members or friends in emergencies.
blood compatibility and blood typing. 7. Limited medical knowledge: Medical
Without this knowledge, transfusions were knowledge and technology in the past
risky because mixing blood of incompatible were not as advanced as today, making it
types could lead to severe reactions, difficult to diagnose and treat the
including death. underlying causes of conditions requiring
2. Lack of anticoagulants: Anticoagulants, transfusions.
substances that prevent blood from
It wasn't until the early 20th century that
clotting, were not readily available or
significant advancements in blood typing,
understood. As a result, stored blood
blood banking, and medical practices
would often clot before being used for
made blood transfusions safer and more
transfusion.
widely available. The discovery of ABO
3. Limited storage and transportation: There
and Rh blood groups, the development of
were challenges in storing and
anticoagulants, improved storage and
transporting blood safely. Refrigeration
transportation methods, and rigorous
and proper blood storage techniques were
donor screening processes revolutionized
not well-developed, making it difficult to
the field of transfusion medicine, making it
preserve donated blood for any extended
a standard and life-saving medical
period.
procedure.
4. Risk of infections: Before the discovery of
bloodborne pathogens and the
, Blood transfusion became scientifically described later by his pupils von
feasible only after the discovery of blood Decastallo and Sturli.
groups by Landsteiner. ● Blood Type O: Red blood cells
have no A or B antigens, but both
Landsteiner’s experiment: anti-A and anti-B antibodies are
present in the plasma.
In 1930, Landsteiner was awarded the
Nobel Prize for his discovery of human
blood groups.
No other blood group antigens were
discovered for the next 25 years.
1926:
Levine and Landsteiner discovered the
MN and P antigens using rabbit antisera
in different samples of human red cells.
1940:
Landsteiner and Wiener raised rabbits
In his experiment, Landsteiner and guinea pig antisera against Rhesus
cross-tested serum from himself and five monkey erythrocytes and tested them
of his colleagues against their red blood against human RBCs, which led to the
cells. Three distinct patterns of discovery of the Rhesus (Rh) Factor.
agglutination were observed.
The main discovery of blood group
He identified that there were two main systems with discovery years are listed:
antigens (A and B) present on the surface
of red blood cells and two corresponding Blood Year Blood Year
antibodies (anti-A and anti-B) in the group Group
plasma. system System
ABO 1900 Duffy 1950
● Blood Type A: Red blood cells
have A antigens, and the plasma MN 1926 Kidd 1951
contains anti-B antibodies.
● Blood Type B: Red blood cells have P 1926 Diego 1955
B antigens, and the plasma Rh 1940 Yt 1956
contains anti-A antibodies.
● Blood Type AB: Red blood cells Lutheran 1945 Kg 1962
have both A and B antigens, and Lewis 1946 Dombrock 1965
there are no anti-A or anti-B
antibodies in the plasma. This was Kell 1946 Colton 1967
HEMATOLOGY | IMMUNOLOGY | BLOOD TYPING
Blood has always been an essential topic of development of sterilization techniques,
there was a significant risk of transmitting
discussion due to its multifaceted use. Since the
diseases through blood transfusions.
dawn of time, blood transfusion has been carried
5. Religious and cultural taboos: Some
out. However, the blood transfusions in older
societies and cultures had strong taboos
times were fruitless and often had disastrous
against blood transfusions, which further
consequences.
limited their use.
6. Lack of suitable donors: Finding compatible
Blood transfusions were difficult in older times
donors was challenging, as there were no
for several reasons:
systematic blood banks or donor registries
1. Limited knowledge of blood types: In the in place. People often rely on family
past, there was little understanding of members or friends in emergencies.
blood compatibility and blood typing. 7. Limited medical knowledge: Medical
Without this knowledge, transfusions were knowledge and technology in the past
risky because mixing blood of incompatible were not as advanced as today, making it
types could lead to severe reactions, difficult to diagnose and treat the
including death. underlying causes of conditions requiring
2. Lack of anticoagulants: Anticoagulants, transfusions.
substances that prevent blood from
It wasn't until the early 20th century that
clotting, were not readily available or
significant advancements in blood typing,
understood. As a result, stored blood
blood banking, and medical practices
would often clot before being used for
made blood transfusions safer and more
transfusion.
widely available. The discovery of ABO
3. Limited storage and transportation: There
and Rh blood groups, the development of
were challenges in storing and
anticoagulants, improved storage and
transporting blood safely. Refrigeration
transportation methods, and rigorous
and proper blood storage techniques were
donor screening processes revolutionized
not well-developed, making it difficult to
the field of transfusion medicine, making it
preserve donated blood for any extended
a standard and life-saving medical
period.
procedure.
4. Risk of infections: Before the discovery of
bloodborne pathogens and the
, Blood transfusion became scientifically described later by his pupils von
feasible only after the discovery of blood Decastallo and Sturli.
groups by Landsteiner. ● Blood Type O: Red blood cells
have no A or B antigens, but both
Landsteiner’s experiment: anti-A and anti-B antibodies are
present in the plasma.
In 1930, Landsteiner was awarded the
Nobel Prize for his discovery of human
blood groups.
No other blood group antigens were
discovered for the next 25 years.
1926:
Levine and Landsteiner discovered the
MN and P antigens using rabbit antisera
in different samples of human red cells.
1940:
Landsteiner and Wiener raised rabbits
In his experiment, Landsteiner and guinea pig antisera against Rhesus
cross-tested serum from himself and five monkey erythrocytes and tested them
of his colleagues against their red blood against human RBCs, which led to the
cells. Three distinct patterns of discovery of the Rhesus (Rh) Factor.
agglutination were observed.
The main discovery of blood group
He identified that there were two main systems with discovery years are listed:
antigens (A and B) present on the surface
of red blood cells and two corresponding Blood Year Blood Year
antibodies (anti-A and anti-B) in the group Group
plasma. system System
ABO 1900 Duffy 1950
● Blood Type A: Red blood cells
have A antigens, and the plasma MN 1926 Kidd 1951
contains anti-B antibodies.
● Blood Type B: Red blood cells have P 1926 Diego 1955
B antigens, and the plasma Rh 1940 Yt 1956
contains anti-A antibodies.
● Blood Type AB: Red blood cells Lutheran 1945 Kg 1962
have both A and B antigens, and Lewis 1946 Dombrock 1965
there are no anti-A or anti-B
antibodies in the plasma. This was Kell 1946 Colton 1967
