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Blood Types Study Guide
🩸 Blood Types Study Guide – “Know Before You Flow!”
🧪 1. Composition of Blood: What’s in That Red Stuff?
Blood is like a smoothie — a mix of ingredients that each play a key role:
Component | % of Whole Blood | Role |
|---|---|---|
🔴 RBCs (Erythrocytes) | 45% | Carry oxygen (O₂) |
⚪ WBCs (Leukocytes) | <1% | Fight infection |
🟡 Platelets (Thrombocytes) | <1% | Help clot blood |
💧 Plasma | 55% | The liquid highway (water, proteins, nutrients, hormones, gases) |
🌀 2. Centrifuge Science
A centrifuge spins blood to separate it:
Top: Plasma
Middle: Buffy coat (WBCs + platelets)
Bottom: RBCs
🧬 3. Blood Types 101: ABO & Rh
Blood type = Antigens (on RBCs) + Antibodies (in plasma)
💡 Think of antigens as name tags & antibodies as security guards!
Blood Type | Antigen(s) | Antibody(ies) | Can Donate To | Can Receive From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
O | None | Anti-A & Anti-B | All (Universal Donor) | O only |
A | A | Anti-B | A, AB | A, O |
B | B | Anti-A | B, AB | B, O |
AB | A & B | None | AB only | All (Universal Recipient) |
➕ ➖ 4. Rh Factor: The + or - Matters!
Rh = protein on RBCs
If present = Rh positive
If absent = Rh negative
🧠 Rh Matching:
(+) can get from (+) or (−)
(−) can get from (−) only
🧪 5. Test Compatibility: Who Can Donate to Who?
Always test & crossmatch before transfusions!
🔴 = Compatible blood
O− | O+ | A− | A+ | B− | B+ | AB− | AB+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
O− | 🔴 | |||||||
O+ | 🔴 | 🔴 | ||||||
A− | 🔴 | 🔴 | ||||||
A+ | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | ||||
B− | 🔴 | 🔴 | ||||||
B+ | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | ||||
AB− | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | ||||
AB+ | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 |
✨ AB+ = Universal Receiver
✨ O− = Universal Donor
💥 Blood Transfusion Reactions? Yikes!
🚫 Giving the wrong blood type can lead to:
Hemolysis (RBC destruction)
Clotting
Shock
Death
Always check and double-check — your patient’s life depends on it!
🧠 Pro Tips for Remembering:
O = “Zero” antigens
AB = “All Blood” (can receive all)
O = Outgoing (can give to all)
Rh: “+ can take – but – can’t take +”
NoteStudied by 20 peopleNoteStudied by 1 personNoteStudied by 27 peopleNoteStudied by 1 personNoteStudied by 8 peopleNoteStudied by 21 people