Blood groups and antigens?

Question

someone answered a question i asked before about what makes blood groups different and i found out that it is down to the various combinations of antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and in your blood plasma.

there was a list of various antigen cell/plasma combinations for each blood group but the group O- had neither antigens on the surface of the red blood cells or in the blood plasma.

but are no antigens substances that induce an immune response?

and which would be the most efficient blood group for immunity?

do different blood groupd have different immune responses with regards to the red blood cells? (im aware that most antibody production is carried out by T cells and lymphocytes)

do some blood groups have a selective advantage to certain invading antigens due to blood type?

sorry this is quite alot of questions in one isnt it! but im a very curious person, and i like biology! :)

Answer 1

"do some blood groups have a selective advantage to certain invading antigens due to blood type?"

Lewis antigens increase your suceptibility to malaria. It's extremely rare in Africa ... DUH!

Another (maybe the ABO group) has a slightly higher survival rate for Bubonic Plague. Not important now, but it was significant in Europe in mediavel and Renaissance times.

Other associations are being researched.

Answer 2

A B O is the main grouping

followed by Rhesus

There are more groups but these are only relevant in rare cases.

The red cells carry A B  AB or none (A and B being proteins)

If you carry A you'll have b-antibodies

If you carry B you'll have a-antibodies

If you carry none you'll have a- and b-antibodies (group O)

If you carry AB you'll have NO antibodies.

Rhesus applies a similar principle

If you transfuse antibodies into the blood they'll spread out rapidly and cause no problems of clotting/immuneresponse, hence bloodgroup O is known as the universal donor.

Compare chucking a bit of cocoa-powder in water.

If you would give an O person  A-, B- or AB-blood the antibodies in O would immediately attack and cause problems. Compare chucking a bit of water in your cocoa-powder.

De actual antibodies are proteins (globulins) produced by specialist white cells (plasmacells).

Rhesus is often triggered by events (eg rhesus positive baby in uterus provokes response from rhesus negative mother) and may need a few triggers before becoming a problem. The first Rhesus+  child from a Rhesus- mother usually is ok, but the next and almost certainly the third may run into trouble.

A B are always dominant by the way

A could be gene AA or Ao

B BB or Bo

AB is always AB

and O is oo

Parents O will always have children with O

Parents with A could have A or O children

(Father Ao and Mother Ao have 25% chance of an O child)

Same for B

Mother A and Father B or vice versa

could still give you an O child if their genes are

Ao and Bo

An AB with O will give an A or a B child

AB with AB  will only give A (25%)  B (25%) and/or AB (50%) children