Are blood type AA and A2 the same thing?

Question

Are blood type AA and A2 the same thing?

Answer 1

No not really

Answer 2

runningwithscalpels missed this one...A2 is a Sub-type of type A blood.  A1 red blood cells ( or 'erythrocytes') have about one million A antigens per cell. A2 red cells have only 250,000 A antigens per cell, or one-fourth the amount that A1 cells have.  

The 'A' antigen on A1 and A2 subgroup blood cells is named 'Type 2 A' antigen; however, A1 subgroup blood cells also have two additional forms of antigen as well, 'Type 3 A' and 'Type 4 A', neither of which appear on A2 subgroup blood cells.  

A2 blood can be given to a person with AB2, A2, AB1, or A1. This blood type can only receive blood from O2 or A2 donors.

Answer 3

The ABO System

If you have blood group A then you've got A antigens covering your red cells.

Blood group B means you have B antigens, while group O has neither, and group AB has some of both.

The ABO system also contains lots of little antibodies in the plasma, antibodies being the body's natural defence against foreign antigens.

So blood group A has anti-B in their plasma, blood group B has anti-A (you probably get the picture at this stage).

To complicate matters though, group AB has none and group O has both of the antibodies.

Which means giving someone blood from the wrong ABO group could be fatal.

The anti-A antibodies in group B attack group A cells and vice versa.

Which is why group A blood must never be given to a group B person.

Group O negative is a different story.

The Rh system

Still with us?

Well, it gets more complicated here on in, because there's another antigen to be considered - the Rh antigen.

Some of us have it, some of us don't.

If it is present, the blood is RhD positive, if not it's RhD negative.

So, for example, some people in group A will have it, and will therefore be classed as A+ (or A positive).

While the ones that don't, are A- (or, wait for it...A negative).

And so it goes for groups B, AB and O.

This effectively doubles the number of different blood types to be matched, because you shouldn't mix blood type A+ with blood type A-.

84% of the population is Rh positive.

(And yes, that means the other 16% of the population is running around with Rh negative blood.)

Answer 4

A2 is a subgroup of type A blood.  the majority of type A are A1.  generally an A2 isn't identified until they have developed an antibody to A1 cells.  this occurs either from an exposure by transfusion or a pregnancy.  once an A2 has developed an anti-A1.. the A2 can only be transfused with A2 blood or with O that is compatible.  as far as I know there are no O2 subtype group.

Answer 5

There is type A positive and A negative blood.

AA and A2 don't exist.

Answer 6

good Q..........