The blood transfusion laboratory Flashcards
What are antigens a part of?
Antigens are part of the surface of cells
What are antibodies?
Antibodies are protein molecules(Igs)
What classes are antibodies usually of?
Usually of the Ig classes: IgG and IgM
Where are antibodies found?
Found in plasma
What are antibodies produced by and following what?
Produced by the immune system following exposure to a foreign antigen
How many blood groups systems are known?
There are 26 known blood group systems
What are clinically the most important blood group systems?
ABO and Rh are clinically most important
What can antigens in transfused blood stimulate but only under what circumstance?
Antigens in transfused blood can stimulate a patient to produce an antibody but only if the patient lacks the antigen themselves
What can stimulate antibody production?
- Blood transfusion
- Pregnancy
- Fetal antigens entering maternal circulation during pregnancy or birth
- Environmental factors
What does an antibody antigen reaction in vivo lead to?
Leads to destruction of the cell
What are the 2 ways the cell can undergo destruction when an antibody and antigen react?
- Directly
- Indirectly
Direct destruction of cell
- Directly when the cell breaks up in the blood stream (intravascular)
- Antibodies and antigens interact to cause haemolysis
Indirect destruction of cell
Indirectly when liver and spleen remove antibody coated cells (extravascular)
What does antibody antigen reaction in vitro lead to?
Reactions are normally seen as agglutination tests
What is agglutination?
Agglutination is the clumping together of red cells into visible agglutinates by antigen-antibody reactions
What does agglutination result from?
Agglutination results from antibody cross-linking with the antigens
What can agglutination identify?
- Presence of a red cell antigen
- The presence of an antibody in plasma
What is the clinical significance of the ABO grouping system?
- A and B antigens very common (55% UK)
- Anti-A, anti-B or anti-A,B antibodies very common (97% UK)
- High risk of A or B cells being transfused into someone with the antibody in a random situation
- ABO antibodies can activate complement causing intravascular haemolysis
Steps involved in blood grouping
- The patient’s red cells and plasma are both tested
- Test patient’s red cells with anti-A, anti-B and anti-D
- Agglutination shows that a particular antigen is on the red cells
- No agglutination shows the antigen is absent
Test patient’s plasma with A cells and B cells
- Agglutination shows that a particular antibody is in the plasma or serum - No agglutination shows the antibody is absent
What is the most important antigen in the RH grouping system?
Most important antigen is called D.
What are people with D antigen in terms of RHD?
People with D antigen are RhD positive
What are people who don’t produce D antigen in terms of RHD?
People who do not produce any D antigen are RhD negative (15%)
What are the other 4 main antigens in the RH grouping system known as, other than D?
The other 4 main Rh antigens are known as C, c, E and e
How must RH D typing be tested?
Must be tested in duplicate (or tested each time and compared to historical result)
Clinical significance of RH antibodies in transfusion?
Transfusion
- D antigen is very immunogenic and anti-D is easily stimulated - PREVENTION!
- All Rh antibodies are capable of causing severe transfusion reaction- ANTIBODY DETECTION
Clinical significance of RH antibodies in pregnancy
- Rh antibodies are usually IgG and can cause haemolytic disease of the newborn.
- Anti-D is still most common cause of severe HDN