There are 4 main blood groups (types of blood) – A, B, AB and O. Your blood group is determined by the genes you inherit from your parents.
Each group can be either RhD positive or RhD negative, which means in total there are 8 blood groups.
Antibodies and antigens
Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in a liquid called plasma. Your blood group is identified by antibodies and antigens in the blood.
Antibodies are proteins found in plasma. They’re part of your body’s natural refences. They recognize foreign substances, such as germs, and alert your immune system, which destroys them.
Antigens are protein molecules found on the surface of red blood cells.
The ABO system
There are 4 main blood groups defined by the ABO system:
- Blood Group A – has A antigens on the red blood cells with anti-B antibodies in the plasma
- Blood Group B – has B antigens with anti-A antibodies in the plasma
- Blood Group O – has no antigens, but both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma
- Blood Group AB – has both A and B antigens, but no antibodies
The Rh factor is an inherited protein that can be found on the surface of the red blood cell. If your blood type is positive, then your blood cells have the Rh protein. If your blood type is negative, then your blood cells lack the Rh protein.
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