← Chapter 14
Microbiology · Chapter 14

Who Can Donate to Whom

Red blood cells wear antigens, which are A, B, and Rh D. Plasma carries antibodies against the antigens you do not have. Give someone cells their plasma reads as foreign and those cells get destroyed. Tap any square in the grid, then hang the unit and watch it happen.

Reaction chamberminute 0

Donor red cells meeting the recipient's antibodies
▲ A antigen ■ B antigen ◆ Rh D antigen ● donor red cell Y = recipient antibody

What happens over thirty minutesdrag or press play

Temperature and blood pressure during the transfusion
0 min
Blood compatibilitytap a square to set up a transfusion
columns are the donor unit · rows are the person receiving
safewill be destroyedRh sensitizing
Temp
37.0
degrees C
Mean BP
88
mm Hg
Cells destroyed
0
percent
Urine
clear
color
The rule. A person can take red cells only if those cells carry no antigen their plasma has an antibody against. O negative red cells carry no A, no B, and no D, so they are the universal red-cell donor. AB positive plasma has no anti-A and no anti-B, so that type is the universal recipient.