Blood?!?!?!

D

Dudeyhed

Conformer
Registered Senior Member
I learnt in biology today that people with group A blood have antigen A and antibody B, and group B have antigen B and antibody A or is it the other way around? (hehe, looks like I need to study a bit more)

Why do we need protection against blood cells that wouldn't even be in our bodies?
 
antibody production

Thats the thing. It not in our body. When we produce antibodies, we produce them against everything and anything. Then the antibodies (in the lymphnodes I think, or well, somewhere in the body) are check against "self" antigens. Any white blood cell that produces and antibody angainst any "self" antigen is destroyed. If you have blood type A, you have A type antigens. Any white blood cell that produces an antibody against it is destroyed before the cell is released into the blood stream. Since people with blood type A, don't have B type antigen, there is nothing to check the white blood cells with. So any white blood cell that produces an antibody against B type antigens will be happily introduced into our blood stream.

I am pretty sure thats how it all works.
 
blood types

Chiasma is right about the self selection that goes on. Any B-cell (the antibody secreting cells) that produces a self-reactive antibody is induced to undergo genetic rearrangements to change the type of antibody it encodes or it is induced to die. This protects us against auto-immune diseases.
We have a certain number of antibodies that are generated against non-self epitopes, that is portions of proteins that your body has never been exposed to but are definitely not self-reactive. These occur "randomly" (it's too complicated to get into). This is one way we could have anti-B antibodies if we are A+. Partially this boils down to, if I remember correctly, that these blood type proteins are very similar to some bacterial proteins, so that even if you have not been exposed to type B blood, you will have been exposed to microbes that have proteins similar enough to type B protein that you may have anti-bodies that cross react. This is why the reaction can be instintaneous. You already have a pool of cells (T cells) that can recognize type B proteins, in addition to antibodies if you've been exposed to these bacteria. So your T cells attack the type B blood cells, antibodies bind to these cells and then other immune cells lyse the blood cells. If you hadn't been previously exposed to the protein (ie had generic antibodies) the rejection of the foreign blood would take much longer.
This mass lysis of cells can kill you not only because you are low on blood cells, but because all the membranes and proteins from the lysed blood cells have to be filtered by your kidneys, and your kidneys shut down as a result of all these proteins. This is what is most detrimental if a transfusion is given with the wrong blood type. This is why they always use O- blood unless they know the blood type of the patient.
 
Have you learned about Rh Factor yet? That’s a real kick in the head! A mother that has Rh- blood and is pregnant with a Rh+ child runs a chance of her antibodies killing the child!
 
Originally posted by WellCookedFetus
Have you learned about Rh Factor yet? That’s a real kick in the head! A mother that has Rh- blood and is pregnant with a Rh+ child runs a chance of her antibodies killing the child!
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You are partially right. Rh factors are a problem, the first time a mother carries an Rh+ child if she is Rh- she will develop antibodies (usually the intitial exposure is not enough to enduce a response from the mother), and any subsequent Rh+ children will be attacked by her immune system. There is now a drug called Rhogam that is used to treat this problem. If this drug is administered 24-48 within the first delivery, the drug (which is actually an Antibody) will clear the Rh+ cells from the mothers body before her B cells have a chance to respond to them and produce antibodies.
 
So I left out some things, do I need to give a detail description at all times?
icon_smile_double_fingers.gif
 
Originally posted by WellCookedFetus
So I left out some things, do I need to give a detail description at all times?
icon_smile_double_fingers.gif
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mature, really, I was just filling in what you left out. I wanted to make sure no one got the wrong impression.
 
Originally posted by wrmgrl
mature, really, I was just filling in what you left out. I wanted to make sure no one got the wrong impression.
Click to expand...

Then try to use fewer Ad Hominems, don't imply that you correcting me, that may not be childish buts it mean and egotistical.
 
melodrama

As I have enough melodrama in my life that I cannot control, I surely did not join this community to generate or take part in more.

I did not mean for it to come across as a personal attack. I was just providing information, I thought that was what this forum was about. I hope I am not wrong.

Incomplete information can lead to a lot of problems. It is our job as scientists to make sure people are educated. All the fear surrounding genetic engineering, stem cell research and the like comes from lack of information (and sometimes lack of rational thought). Scientists often either cannot be bothered or are not capable of educating the general public. This all leads to confusion, mistrust, and fear.

I saw an opportunity to shed a little light on a subject, I looked up my facts before I posted to make sure I wasn't misinformed. Sorry if that did damage to your ego, Wellcooked, I can assure you it neither damaged nor bolstered mine.
 
then things are cool :cool: did you not read my quote below this is how I treat people as a sign of friendliness.
 
Hey it could be worse wrmgrl - at least he doesn't
think you're a sicko pretending to be a female. ;)
 
worse

Sicko or mean egotistical and childish, what's the diff really?

Pretending to be a woman eh? Why would one put on such a charade, being a woman is a pain in the a$$.
 
I see your point and agree, there is no difference it is all name
calling. Yes, pretending to be a woman. WCF has a theory, ask
him about it sometime.

Returning to topic - I found your post interesting. I am Rh- and
required a shot after each one of my kids was born to prevent
the problems you mentioned.
 
Originally posted by EvilPoet

Returning to topic - I found your post interesting. I am Rh- and
required a shot after each one of my kids was born to prevent
the problems you mentioned.
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And I thought all those graduate courses in immunology were a waste of time (no really, I did). Glad you found it interesting.

I've known a couple people who've been treated this way. It's a pretty smart treatement really, and very important. Wish I'd thought of it!
 
"99% of people that you talk to on the net are men, the other 1% are just perverted men that are pretending to be women."
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This came from a internet counterstrike guide, and follows up that one should find these perverts and bash their heads in with a rusty pick-axe

Ya well I’m more honest then that, I pretend to be a fetus.
 
"99% of people that you talk to on the net are men, the
other 1% are just perverted men that are pretending to
be women."
Click to expand...
"98% of the population is asleep. The other 2% are staring
around in complete amazement, abject terror, or both."
-Unknown
 
Lol!
Isn't the tan function amazing?

Sorry for changing the topic back from being changed but I just wanted to clarify what you guys (and girls if some of the girls don't like being called 'guy') have said.

er... I couldn't really comprehend wrmgrl's explanation. Was that all to do with antibody B being in type A blood?

I understood what Chaisma said though, or at least think I do...

Where you saying that our body produces all antibodies but the harmful ones are killed before they can harm or exist for a significant amount of time within our bodies?

I've scratched Rh at school, nothing too deep but just how a mother needs to be given an injection of something, can't remember what, before she gives birth or during her pregnancy or, after.... well, Evil poet says after, so I guess, her talking from experience means a lot... but is that the only time you need the shot?
 
Originally posted by Dudeyhed
Isn't the tan function amazing?
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Um, I don't understand, what is "the tan" that you speak of, do you mean melanin in your skin protecting you from harmful UV radiation?

er... I couldn't really comprehend wrmgrl's explanation. Was that all to do with antibody B being in type A blood?
Click to expand...
Yes, essentially I explain the reason why that particular antibody is so prevalent.

Where you saying that our body produces all antibodies but the harmful ones are killed before they can harm or exist for a significant amount of time within our bodies?
Click to expand...
Antibodies aren't killed off, they're not alive. Antibodies are proteins secreted by a specific type of cell (B cells). One B cell produces only one specific antibody, but it can produce lots and lots of individual antibody molecules. The antibodies from these cells are initially attached to the surface of the cell, then other cells come along that have self proteins on their surface and the check the antibody on the B cell. If the protein doesn't match the antibody, then the B cell can go happily on its way, and it will eventually secrete antibodies. If the protein and antibody do match, the self protein cell will signal to the B cell to essentially committ suicide.
You should read up on how antibodies work.

I've scratched Rh at school, nothing too deep but just how a mother needs to be given an injection of something, can't remember what, before she gives birth or during her pregnancy or, after.... well, Evil poet says after, so I guess, her talking from experience means a lot... but is that the only time you need the shot?
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Dude, seriously, I explained the whole thing earlier. Sorry if it's too technical. If you learn about the basics of immunology, it should make complete sense.
 
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