But in the event that you need a blood transfusion or a transplant, your healthcare team will test your blood (and your donor’s blood) for all of the different proteins. Thankfully, science decided to stick with the original blood types, which makes things a little less confusing. But since discovering this group of proteins in the early 1960s, scientists have found about 600 other proteins.
These letters describe the first protein group that was discovered on red blood cells.
As scientists learned more about these proteins, they also figured out how to safely perform organ and tissue transplants. And these transfusion reactions became a thing of the past. Once they identified blood types, healthcare providers were able to match donor and recipient blood types. While that function is usually very helpful, it can also cause serious problems.īefore scientists discovered these proteins, people used to have severe reactions to blood transfusions - but no one knew why. Instead, it will attack anything that shouldn’t be in your body. That way, your immune system doesn’t attack your own blood cells. Over time, your body will make antibodies only against the proteins that your blood cells don’t have. So even though there are four components in your blood, only the red blood cells determine your blood type. Your blood type describes the specific proteins that exist on your red blood cells. What does it mean to have a certain blood type? Platelets: These are cell fragments that form blood clots. Red blood cells: These cells carry oxygen to the rest of your body. White blood cells: These cells fight off infections. Plasma: This is the “liquid” of your blood, which contains immunoglobulins, coagulation factors, and other important proteins. Let’s start with the basics: What exactly is blood anyway? Your blood - that red liquid that comes out when you get a cut - is made up of four things: Here’s everything you’ve always wanted to know about blood types. So you might be wondering what your blood type actually means. Knowing your blood type can also help you decide if you should donate blood, which is especially during blood shortages.
For example, there’s ongoing research into whether your blood type can provide information about things like food sensitivities or whether you’re more likely to contract malaria or have complications from COVID-19. There are plenty of practical reasons to know your blood type. At some point, most people learn this important and unique information about themselves. You might have found out your blood type from a finger prick in science class, a test before a medical procedure, or perhaps your parents told you. There are a number of different ways to learn your blood type.