Blood transfusions

• If blood types are not properly matched clumping (agglutination) of the red blood cells can occur.

• Red blood cells have agglutinins on their surface (a type of antigen).

• You blood plasma has antibodies which can react against the agglutinins on your red blood cells

Clotting

• When platelets in blood are exposed to air chemical reaction occurs.

• A soluble protein in your plasma changes to an insoluble fibrin – a scab.

• Vitamin K is important to clotting- made by bacteria in the gut or ingested by eating green veg and cranberries.

Abnormal clotting

• Haemophilia – slow clotting.

• High cholesterol and smoking and drinking alcohol increase your chances of clotting

• Warfarin, aspirin and heparin reduce the bloods ability to clot.

Blood Groups

Rhesus positive and negative

• Rhesus positive if your plasma has a D – protein.

• Blood that is Rh-negative can be transfused into a person who is Rh-positive, but an Rh-negative individual can create antibodies for Rh-positive.

Universal Recipient

• AB+ blood type is referred to as the "universal recipient",

• Anti-B or Anti-A antibodies in its plasma, and can receive both Rh-positive and Rh-negative blood

Universal Donor

• O- blood type is called the ‘’universal donor’’

• It’s red blood cells have no A or B antigens and are Rh-negative, no other blood type will reject it.

Long Leave Prep

• Draw a timeline for the discovery and development of blood transfusions.

• I will take posters in beginning of next term. A4 or A3.

• Go over everything we have done so far – answer the questions in the book if haven’t already!