Question

antigens in blood
an antigen is a substance foreign to the body that causes an immune response. an immune response occurs when antibodies, which are proteins in your immune system, are summoned to attack an antigen.
when you say you are blood type a, what you are telling people is that the cells in your body make antibodies only to type b antigens. the a - type surface antigens on the cells are not recognized. these surface antigens can be attached to the plasma membrane surrounding the cells (more specifically to the plasma membrane of the red blood cells) or to proteins or lipids anywhere in your body.
that means that your body makes antibodies against type b antigens (if your blood type is positive or negative, that refers to the rh factor.) so, in essence, your body kills off the cells containing type b antigens, allowing type a to be dominant. you can receive type a blood or type o blood and can donate blood to those with type a or type ab.
if you are blood type b, the situation is reversed. your cells have type b antigens and can donate blood to people with type b or type ab. they can receive type b or type o blood.
antibodies in blood
in addition to the major blood types, there are minor blood groups that individuals have antibodies against the antigens on their red blood cells. for example, a persons a blood will develop antibodies against the b antigen (anti - b) that will be present in their plasma. in transfusion medicine, it is very important that patients receive red blood cells that are compatible with their blood type. if a patient receives red blood cells that contain antibodies that will destroy their red blood cells, this can be determined quickly by mixing a few drops of someones plasma with the red blood cells and seeing which antibodies make the red blood cells clump together. this clumping happens when the antibodies match the antigens present on the red blood cells. for example, if someones blood has a (but not b) antigens, making that person type a. in transfusion medicine, sophisticated assays are used to appropriately type the blood of the donor and of the patient.

1. what is the role of white blood cells in terms of antibodies in blood type a blood?
2. what does it mean if an unknown blood sample clumps when exposed to anti - a?
3. what are antigens?
4. what does it mean when you are blood type b?
5. what blood type can people donate to who have blood type b?

Explanation:

1. Clumping of blood during testing is caused by antibodies in the plasma reacting with antigens on the red - blood cells. If a person has antibodies against certain antigens in the donated blood, it will cause the red - blood cells to clump.
2. If an unknown blood sample 'clumps' when exposed to anti - A, it means the blood sample has A antigens on the red - blood cells, so the blood type is A.
3. Antigens are substances (carbohydrates, proteins or lipids) attached to the surface of red - blood cells that can trigger an immune response.
4. If you are blood Type B, it means your body makes antibodies against type A antigens. Your body can receive type B or type O blood and can donate blood to people with type B or type AB.
5. People with blood type B can donate to those with blood type B or type AB.

Answer:

1. Antibodies in plasma reacting with red - blood cell antigens cause clumping during blood testing.
2. The blood type is A.
3. Antigens are substances on red - blood cell surfaces that trigger immune responses.
4. Your body makes anti - A antibodies, can receive B or O blood, and can donate to B or AB.
5. People with blood type B can donate to those with blood type B or AB.