BLOOD TYPING
1901 - Austrian Karl Landsteiner discovered human blood groups
Blood Type is Controlled by 3 Alleles
Alleles: A, B, O
A & B are codominant
O is recessive
(http://www.biologycorner.com/anatomy/blood/images/bloodtype_chart.gif)
Blood Transfusions
Blood that has antibodies on it that is not recognized by the body will be attacked by your immune system
O is the Universal Donor because a person with this type of blood does not have antigens on the surface of the blood cells - hence will not cause an immune reaction in the patient.
AB is the universal Acceptor because this person will not have an immune reaction to A, B, AB, or O
(http://www.biologycorner.com/anatomy/blood/images/bloodtypes.jpg)
Source: http://www.biologycorner.com/anatomy/blood/notes_bloodtype.html