In my science class, my instructor said you can tell what your blood type is just by looking at your blood. What characteristics will the blood have to tell you what your blood type is for each type?
1 Answer
If by blood type, you mean blood group (A, B, AB, O) and sub group (Rh+ and Rh-), then this cannot be determined by merely looking at the blood.
Explanation:
Blood typing (in general) involves the use of three different antibodies for three different antigens. These three antibodies are Anti-A, Anti-B and Anti-D and are usually coloured differently to avoid error in reading.
The method used is simple: a drop each of Anti-A, Anti-B and Anti-D is placed with the cavities of a cavity slide and one drop of blood each is mixed using different glass mixers (so as not to give erroneous readings).
Depending on which drop demonstrates coagulation or not, the blood type is determined.
If coagulation takes place in Anti-A and not in Anti-B, the blood group is A.
If coagulation takes place in Anti-B and not in Anti-A, the blood group is B.
If coagulation takes place in both Anti-A and in Anti-B, the blood group is AB.
If coagulation takes place in neither Anti-A nor Anti-B, the blood group is O.
If coagulation takes place in Anti-D, the blood subgroup is Rh+.
If coagulation does not take place in Anti-D, the blood subgroup is Rh-.
