Blood Type

An Austrian immunologist named Karl Leinstener (1869-1943) grouped human bllood into 4 types :

• Type A in which the erythrocyte contains agglutinogen A and the plasma contains agglutinin b (beta).
• Type B in which the erythrocyte contains agglutinogen B and the plasma contains agglutinin a (alpha).
• Type AB in which the erythrocyte contains agglutinogen A and B, and the plasma lacks agglutinin.
• Type O in which the erythrocyte lacks agglutinogen, but the plasma contains agglutinin a (alpha) and b (beta).

Aglutinogen is a protein in red blood cells that can be coagulated by agglutinins. There are two types of aglutinogen on erytrocyte, A and B. Agglutinin is a protein in blood plasma that agglutinate aglutinogen. Agglutinin function as antibodies. There are two kinds of agglutinins, agglutinins α (alpha) and agglutinin β (beta). Agglutinins α is also called anti-A serum that will agglutinate aglutinogen A. While agglutinin β is also called anti-B serum that will agglutinate aglutinogen B.