Why are blood types different? Chinese traditional medicine - an alternative to Western methods
It has long been known that all people on the planet are divided by blood type. What is the reason for this division?
Scientists believe that the reason for dividing human blood into four groups is to perform a protective function against infectious diseases. But in the process of evolution, some blood groups no longer combine.
For centuries, no one suspected that blood could be different. However, when blood was transfused from one person to another, in half the cases the result was tragic. Such cases made doctors think about the causes of the huge number of deaths from blood transfusions, which marked the beginning of its research.
Through numerous experiments and observations, scientists discovered the existence of several different blood groups. They also noticed that when a drop of one type of blood entered the blood or serum of another, a grouping of cells began, which is also called “clumping” or “agglutination,” after which the cells were destroyed.
This is why it is extremely important to know a person’s blood type. There are four blood groups in total, with the second blood group being the oldest, and the fourth blood group being the youngest. Later, about three and a half million years ago, a third blood group appeared due to a certain change in one type of sugar from a genetic mutation. After another million years, the sugar gene becomes inactive and a new mutational first group appears, containing no sugars of the second and third groups. Much later, a group containing sugar of the second and third groups was formed, which became the fourth. This is how four main blood groups appeared, necessary to protect humans from many infections. It is only by pure chance that some blood groups are incompatible.
So, if a person with the third blood group (B) is infused with a second blood group (A), then the immune system will work, which will regard the unknown sugar as an infection, which will lead to an inevitable protective reaction of the body, which will lead to dire consequences for the body.
It is interesting that the first group (O) with negative Rh is universal, since it fits into other groups without problems due to the absence of the Rh antigen, and therefore is safe when transfused from donor to recipient.
But people with the fourth group (AB) can accept blood of any other group, since when the serum of this group gets into contact with other blood groups, it does not cause the process of cell adhesion.
We receive our blood type by inheritance, and it remains unchanged throughout our lives. An interesting study was conducted by scientists regarding blood groups and the patterns of their distribution around the globe. It turned out that closer to the east there are fewer people with the second blood group (A), and more people with the third (B). For example, in England 43% of the population have a second blood group, in India there are only 15% of such people.
We must understand whether we are healthy or sick, this does not depend in any way on our blood type. But a person’s character can be deciphered by blood type. That is, a certain blood type provides for the true essence of a person, which must be realized and manifested throughout life.
A healthy person's blood type remains the same throughout his life, just like his fingerprints. Blood type is a kind of personal identifier that is passed on from parents to children. At the same time, blood type is a category more ancient than race, and the most important difference between the people of our planet is not ethnic origin, but the composition of the blood.
Ancient history
Blood type represents a certain stage in the millennia-long evolution of the digestive and immune systems, the result of the adaptation of our ancestors to changing natural conditions. According to the theory of the Polish scientist Ludwig Hirszfeld, ancient people of all three races had the same blood type first O (I). Their digestive tract was best suited for digesting meat foods. That is why even in a modern person with the first blood group, the acidity of gastric juice is higher than in others. For the same reason, peptic ulcer disease occurs most often in people with the first group. The remaining blood groups were separated through mutation from the “first blood” of our primitive ancestors.
As the population increases and the environment changes, the ability to obtain meat food decreases. Gradually, vegetable protein becomes the main source of energy for humans. As a result, this led to the emergence of the “vegetarian” second blood group A (II). The migration of peoples to Europe is the reason for the predominance of people with the second blood group there at the present time. Its owners are more adapted to survival in densely populated areas. Gene A is a sign of a typical urban resident. By the way, it is believed that it was he who was the guarantee of survival during medieval epidemics of plague and cholera in Western Europe, which claimed the lives of residents of entire cities. Holders of blood group A (II) have the ability and need to exist in a community, less aggressiveness, and greater contact at the gene level.
It is believed that the homeland of the gene of the third group B (III) is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the territory of present-day India and Pakistan. Livestock farming using dairy products for food predetermined the next evolution of the digestive system. Harsh climatic conditions contributed to the emergence of such character traits as patience, determination and equanimity.
The fourth blood group AB (IV) arose as a result of the mixing of owners of the A gene and carriers of the B gene. Today, only 6% of Europeans have the fourth blood group, which is the youngest in the ABO system. The uniqueness of this group is the inheritance of high immunological protection, which manifests itself in resistance to autoimmune and allergic diseases.
New story
In 1891, Australian scientist Karl Landsteiner conducted a study of red blood cells. He discovered an interesting pattern: in the red blood cells (erythrocytes) of some people there may be a special marker, which the scientist designated by the letter A, in others - marker B, in others neither A nor B were detected. A little later it turned out that the markers described by Landsteiner are special proteins that determine the species specificity of cells, i.e. antigens. In fact, Karl Landsteiner's research divided all of humanity into three groups according to blood properties: O (I), A (II), B (III). The fourth group AB(IV) was described by the scientist Decastello in 1902. The joint discovery of the two scientists was called the ABO system. But the research on red blood cells did not end there.
In 1927, scientists discovered four more antigens: M, N, P, p on the surface of the red blood cell. Later it turned out that these four antigens did not have any effect on the compatibility of the blood of different people. And in 1940, another antigen was described, called the Rh factor. There are six antigens in his system: C, D, E, c, d, e. People whose blood contains the main antigen of the Rh D system, found in Rhesus macaques, are considered Rh positive. The Rh factor, unlike blood group antigens, is located inside the red blood cell and does not depend on the presence or absence of other blood factors. The Rh factor is also inherited and persists throughout a person’s life. It is found in the red blood cells of 85% of people, their blood is called Rh positive (Rh+). The blood of other people does not contain the Rh factor and is called Rh negative (Rh-).
Subsequently, scientists discovered 19 more erythrocyte antigen systems. In total, more than 120 of them are known today, but the ABO blood groups and the Rh factor still remain the most important for humans and medicine.
Practical use of knowledge about blood groups
So, the red blood cell of any person has a large set of antigens. By the way, they are usually called agglutinogens (from the word agglutination gluing) substances that cause gluing. However, not all agglutinogens have clinical significance and are taken into account when dividing blood into groups. The most common and important are the two types A and B, various combinations of which determine the blood group according to the ABO system. The peculiarity of agglutinogens A and B is due to the fact that only for them in the plasma (liquid part) of the blood there are special innate agglutinins a and b (substances that stick together).
Based on the combination of agglutinogens in the blood and agglutinins in the plasma, the blood of all people is divided into four groups.
Table 1. Blood groups according to the ABO system
Blood group Erythrocyte antigens (agglutinogenic) Plasma antigens (agglutinins) Genotype
First O(I) No, 0 a, b JOJO
Second A b JAJA JAJO
Third B a JAJA JAJO
fourth AB No, 0 JBJB JBJO
All over the world, blood is widely used for medicinal purposes. However, failure to comply with the rules of blood transfusion can cost a person his life. When transfusion occurs, it is necessary to first determine the blood type and perform a compatibility test. The main rule is that the donor's red blood cells (containing antigens - agglutinogens) should not be agglutinated (coagulated) by the recipient's (receiving party's) plasma, which contains agglutinins. When an agglutinogen of the same name meets an agglutinin of the same name (A+a, B+b), an erythrocyte sedimentation reaction occurs, followed by their destruction (hemolysis). Considering that red blood cells are the main carriers of oxygen, the blood ceases to perform its respiratory function.
People with the first blood group O(I) are universal donors, since their blood, taking into account the ABO system, can be transfused to persons with any blood group. Holders of the fourth blood group AB (IV) belong to the category of universal recipients - they can be transfused with blood of any group. It should be noted that doctors try not to use the principle of universality in blood transfusion procedures, but to transfuse blood of the same group and always take into account the Rh factor. Other antigens of the blood system are not taken into account during transfusion.
Now it's time to explain why the Rh factor is as important as blood type. If the Rh factor enters the body of people who do not have it, then an immunological reaction begins in their blood, as a result of which acquired destructive proteins (agglutinins) to the Rh factor appear. When red blood cells containing the Rh factor enter the blood of Rh-negative people again, the red blood cells stick together and are destroyed.
The Rh factor is taken into account not only during blood transfusions, but also during pregnancy. During pregnancy, in a Rh-negative mother and a Rh-positive fetus (which it can inherit from the father), the child’s red blood cells will cause the corresponding agglutinins to appear in the blood. As a rule, the production of agglutinins to the Rh factor during the first pregnancy proceeds quite slowly and by the end of pregnancy their concentration in the blood rarely reaches values dangerous for the child, which can cause the destruction of his red blood cells. Therefore, the first pregnancy most often ends successfully. But, once they appear, agglutinins can remain in the blood plasma for a long time, which makes it much more dangerous for a Rh-negative woman to meet the Rh factor of her child during pregnancy, causing Rh-conflict conditions. In a child, they manifest as hemolytic disease in the prenatal period or after birth, which consists of intensive breakdown of red blood cells under the influence of maternal antibodies. To stop the running mechanism, children are often given a replacement blood transfusion, as a result of which they become Rhesus negative.
Currently, Rh-negative women after childbirth, miscarriages, or abortions are recommended to administer anti-Rhesus globulin, which breaks the immunological chain and prevents the production of anti-Rhesus antibodies. Timely administration of anti-Rh globulin with a high degree of probability prevents the development of Rh conflict during subsequent pregnancy.
How are blood types inherited?
Human blood groups are determined by three alternative variants of one gene (A, B, O), located on the 9th chromosome. This blood group system is inherited according to a multiple principle, in which the effect of different variants of one gene is manifested equally, independently of each other. The pairwise combination of these genes determines one of the four blood groups.
Knowing the inheritance of blood types can help in establishing parentage. For example, a woman named Smith received a baby at the hospital who had a Jones name tag. The question arose: what was mixed up - the tags or the children? The blood types of the parents were determined. It turned out that the Joneses had the first blood group, so they could only have a child with the first blood group. Mrs. Smith had blood type O, but her husband had blood type IV. This means that the Smiths’ child must have either a second or third blood group. When the blood types of children were determined, it turned out that the child with the Jones tag had blood type A(II), and Smith had blood type 0(I). This means that the tags were mixed up, and the women received their children.
Who is the father?
It is not always possible to establish paternity based on blood type. For example, the child and mother have the second blood group (JAJO), then the father can have any blood type. In this case, other genetic tests are used. If you want to find out the blood type options for your children, go to the Internet site www.genetics.org.ua. By entering the blood types of the mother and father, you will get the probable blood types of your babies.
The study of the type of inheritance of blood groups has become possible thanks to advances in genetics. Currently, this knowledge is invaluable, because it has enormous practical significance.
Blood group is the immunogenetic characteristics of blood that allow people’s blood to be grouped into certain groups based on the similarity of antigens (an antigen is a substance foreign to the body that causes the formation of antibodies). There are such antigens in the formed elements (erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets) and blood plasma of every person. The presence or absence of one or another antigen, as well as possible combinations of them, create thousands of variants of antigenic structures inherent in people. A person’s belonging to one or another blood group is an individual feature that begins to form already in the early stages of fetal development.
Antigens are grouped into groups called AB0, Rhesus and many others systems.
AB0 blood groups
The blood groups of the AB0 system were discovered in 1900 by K. Landsteiner, who, by mixing the red blood cells of some individuals with the blood serum of other individuals, discovered that with some combinations the blood coagulates, forming flakes (agglutination reaction), but with others it does not. Based on these studies, Landsteiner divided the blood of all people into three groups: A, B and C. In 1907, another blood group was discovered.
It was found that the agglutination reaction occurs when antigens of one blood group (they are called agglutinogens), which are found in red blood cells - erythrocytes, stick together with antibodies of another group (they are called agglutinins) that are found in plasma - the liquid part of the blood. The division of blood according to the AB0 system into four groups is based on the fact that the blood may or may not contain antigens (agglutinogens) A and B, as well as antibodies (agglutinins) α (alpha or anti-A) and β (beta or anti-B) .
First blood group - 0 (I)
Group I - does not contain agglutinogens (antigens), but contains agglutinins (antibodies) α and β. It is designated 0 (I). Since this group does not contain foreign particles (antigens), it can be transfused to all people. A person with this blood type is a universal donor.
It is believed that this is the most ancient blood group or group of “hunters”, which arose between 60,000 and 40,000 BC, during the era of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons, who only knew how to gather food and hunt. People with the first blood group have leadership qualities.
Second blood group A β (II)
Group II contains agglutinogen (antigen) A and agglutinin β (antibodies to agglutinogen B). Therefore, it can be transfused only to those groups that do not contain antigen B - these are groups I and II.
This group appeared later than the first, between 25,000 and 15,000 BC, when man began to master agriculture. There are especially many people with the second blood group in Europe. It is believed that people with this blood type are also prone to leadership, but are more flexible in communicating with others than people with the first blood group.
Third blood group Bα (III)
Group III contains agglutinogen (antigen) B and agglutinin α (antibodies to agglutinogen A). Therefore, it can be transfused only to those groups that do not contain antigen A - these are groups I and III.
The third group appeared around 15,000 BC, when humans began to populate the colder areas to the north. This blood group first appeared in the Mongoloid race. Over time, the group's carriers began to move to the European continent. And today there are a lot of people with such blood in Asia and Eastern Europe. People with this blood type are usually patient and very efficient.
Fourth blood group AB0 (IV)
Blood group IV contains agglutinogens (antigens) A and B, but contains agglutinins (antibodies). Therefore, it can only be transfused to those who have the same, fourth blood group. But, since there are no antibodies in the blood of such people that can stick together with antibodies introduced from outside, they can be transfused with blood of any group. People with blood group IV are universal recipients.
Type 4 is the newest of the four human blood types. It appeared less than 1000 years ago as a result of the mixing of Indo-Europeans, carriers of group I, and Mongoloids, carriers of group III. It is rare. People with this blood type are diligent and resourceful.
Why do you need to know a person's blood type?
The blood belonging to one or another group and the presence of certain antibodies in it indicate the compatibility (or incompatibility) of the blood of individuals. Incompatibility can occur, for example, when fetal blood enters the mother's body during pregnancy (if the mother has antibodies to fetal blood antigens) or when receiving blood from a different group.
When antigens and antibodies of the AB0 system interact, sticking of red blood cells occurs (agglutination or hemolysis), and clusters of red blood cells are formed that cannot pass through small vessels and capillaries and clog them (blood clots form). The kidneys become clogged, causing acute renal failure - a very serious condition that, if emergency measures are not taken, leads to the death of a person.
Over the long history of its existence, humanity has been forced to adapt to the changing conditions of the earthly world. The person himself and his biochemical properties changed. In the modern world, it is known that people’s blood does not have the same Rh factor and group affiliation. The rarest of them is described in the article.
What is blood in general or rare blood - what is it? Blood is a special mobile tissue in a liquid state that connects the entire set of internal fluids, that is, it is plasma, and it contains cells, red blood cells. Each blood has its own characteristics, including immunity.
Human bodies have different working resources, plasma has its own needs. The blood indicator is the Rh factor, that is, a special protein on the surface of red blood cells called erythrocytes. Rhesus is divided into positive with a sign (Rh(+)) and negative with a sign (Rh(–)).
Various processes can occur in the body; our most precious biological fluid reacts to each of them. The reaction is reflected in the results of human blood tests. Based on research and scientific data, tables are compiled so that people can compare their ideas with accurate information.
The tables contain symbols indicating the groups: I(0), II(A), III(B), IV(AB). Among the indicators there are rare ones, there is data on prevalence, each line provides certain knowledge.
The most common group in the world is the first; almost half of the inhabitants of planet Earth have such blood. Most Europeans are carriers of the second group, the third group is small, found in only 13% of earthlings.
The rarest in the world is the fourth. There are quite a lot of people with the first blood group with a negative Rh factor, for some reason the fourth Rh negative blood group is considered rare. The first two groups are recognized as the most common, the third is less common, but the rarest is the fourth negative. Of all the varieties, it has become the rarest species, the most mysterious. A small number of earthly inhabitants were lucky enough to become owners of the fourth group. So this is the rarest group blood in people.
A conditional rating was formed based on the demand for all known types of blood transfusions. Each type differs from the others in its resistance or susceptibility to different diseases.
About the rarest blood group
In the twentieth century, many scientific discoveries occurred, among them the conditional classification of blood into groups. This was a good advancement in medicine, especially in emergency cases of saving people. Bleeding is a very life-threatening situation. The discovery made it possible to find donors and prevent unnecessary mixing of blood, thereby saving many, many human lives. As it turned out later, in nature there are different subtypes of blood, explained by the presence of Rh factors. It turned out that among all the groups there is the rarest group IV. The types differ in the content of agglutinogen proteins on the surface of red blood cells.
People need to know where they belong. To the question, what is the rarest blood group, there is a simple answer - IV (–), phenomenal. And the first negative is inherent in 15% of Europeans, about 7% of Africans and is almost absent among Indians. Science continues its research on these topics.
Why is group 4 singled out?
About two millennia ago, a new amazing sign of blood was formed. Then it turned out that this is the rarest group. The exclusivity lies in combining into one whole the complete opposites of blood type - A and B. But it is the most needed at all blood transfusion stations. Scientists have noticed that the owners of this phenomenon are endowed with a flexible system of protecting the body from diseases (immune).
Modern biology considers this group complex, which appeared not under the influence of the environment, but as a result of the mixing of people of different religious denominations or belonging to different racial communities. In addition, IV is inherited only in half of the cases when both parents have such blood. If one parent has type AB, then there is only a 25% chance that children will be born with this group. The antigens present affect its properties in different ways, sometimes similarities with the second appear, sometimes signs of the third are noticeable. And sometimes this rare group demonstrates a peculiar combination of both groups.
There are some conclusions regarding the characteristics, indicators of characteristic features, and health status. For example, people with a rare group are less adapted to prolonged physical activity. It is advisable to replace burdensome sports activities with light, acceptable yoga. The psychological characteristics of these people are manifested in nobility, sincerity, composure and calmness. They show more of their spiritual organization in creativity.
The carriers of the rare fourth group are not deprived by nature; they live and develop like all other inhabitants of the planet. The only concern may be the issue of donation.
Most common
There is a group in nature that is much more common than the fourth. This is the first one, it is called universal. The rest are placed somehow in order of priority. About half the population has it. However, such statistics are relative and approximate. The fact is that each nationality has specific characteristics according to groups and Rh factor; it is believed that this phenomenon is associated with heredity.
The first is not only the most common, but also the most, one might say, universal. If during transfusion it is necessary to carefully approach the combination of blood groups, then the first one is suitable for all patients, regardless of their group affiliation. This versatility is explained by the absence of antigens; this is confirmed by the marking number 0.
World distribution statistics
There are about 3 dozen varieties of blood groups known in the world. In our country, the classifier of the Czech scientist Jan Jansky is used, according to which liquid tissue is divided into 4 groups. The classification is based on the presence of antigens (substances foreign to the body) on the surface of red cells -.
The separation occurs according to the ABO system:
I (0) – absence of antigens;
II (A) – antigen A is present;
III (B) – antigen B is present;
IV (AB) – antigens A and B are present.
Statistics show the prevalence of people by blood type:
| Blood type | Found in the population |
| (I) 0 + | 40% |
| (I) 0 | 7% |
| (II) A+ | 33% |
| (II) A – | 6% |
| (III) B + | 8% |
| (III) B – | 2% |
| (IV) AB + | 3% |
| (IV) AB – | 1% |
This shows that the percentage of people with blood group 4 is the smallest. In emergency cases, group affiliation marks in a passport or military ID can help.
The rarest Blood group in the world is IV. The child inherits 50% of the group from his parents. Regarding Rh, Rh is individual compatibility. It is very important for the conception and development of a child that these indicators coincide in both parents. Often miscarriages during pregnancy occur for precisely these reasons.
Blood group affiliation usually does not change in people throughout their lives, including after a transfusion.
Transplantation and manipulation features
Often people find themselves in extreme situations when acute blood loss poses a real threat to life. The main indication is blood transfusion, and this is a very serious, responsible manipulation. This complex action has its own characteristics and characteristics. This requires strict adherence to the rules approved for such cases and highly qualified specialists. The rules for conducting a kind of operation without incisions on the patient’s skin are strict and provide for these manipulations in a hospital setting in order to instantly respond to all kinds of reactions or complications. If possible, medical professionals try to find a life-saving method without such a procedure.
The reasons for performing a transplant from a donor to a patient may be:
- heavy bleeding;
- state of shock;
- prolonged bleeding, including during complex surgical operations;
- low content in severe anemia;
- deviations in the processes of blood formation.
During a transfusion, the patient's health is directly dependent on the coincidence of group affiliation and the Rh factor. Rh mismatch leads to death. The universal groups are I and IV.
In the human community, the phenomenon of voluntary donation of blood or its components is widely practiced. For donation, people all over the world donate their biological tissues. Donor material is used for scientific, research, and educational purposes; medicines are produced from it. It is also needed for emergency transfusion. The effect is achieved only with complete compatibility of the blood of the donor and the subject receiving assistance. This must be a group match, according to Rhesus, and also individual compatibility.
Thus, human blood represents a mysterious natural phenomenon with which the very existence of man and his characteristic features are connected. This living organism exhibits wonderful properties that have not yet been fully studied. Scientists continue to find answers, but there is a lot of interesting work ahead that requires attention and full dedication.
Incredible facts
Human blood groups “came into existence” to protect people from infectious diseases. The incompatibility of some blood types, however, is simply an evolutionary event that happened by chance.
There are four main blood types. Blood type A is the most ancient, and it existed even before the emergence of the human race from its hominid ancestors. Type B is believed to have originated about 3.5 million years ago as a result of a genetic mutation that changed one of the types of sugars covered by red blood cells. About 2.5 million years ago, mutations occurred that caused the sugar gene to become inactive and the appearance of type O, which contained neither type A nor type B sugars. Finally, there is type AB, which contains sugars of both types.
It is these sugars that are responsible for the fact that some blood types are incompatible: for example, if a person with blood type B is given type A blood, the recipient's immune system will regard the unfamiliar sugars as foreign bodies and will attack them. As a result of an immune reaction, a person may die. Type O is the universal blood group because it lacks a molecule that provokes such reactions.
"But incompatibility is not the explanation for why people have different blood types," says Harvey Klein, a leading transfusion medicine specialist at the National Institutes of Health. " Blood transfusion is a relatively new phenomenon (has been around for hundreds of years, not millions), so it has nothing to do with blood type evolution."
At least one evolutionary cause appears to be disease. Eg, Malaria is least common among people with blood type O. This blood type is the most popular among people in Africa, as well as in other parts of the world where the incidence of malaria is quite high. This suggests that blood type carries certain evolutionary advantages.
In this particular case, the advantage is that malaria-infected cells cannot interact with type O and type B cells. Blood cells infected with malaria are more likely to "communicate" with blood group A sugars. The disease results in the formation of blood clots, the effects of which can be fatal to a person, especially if they come into contact with important organs such as the brain. Eventually, When people with blood type O get malaria, they get it much easier.
On the other hand, people with this blood type may be more susceptible to other diseases. However, research still does not explain why people still have different blood types.
