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Blood Group + Rh

Blood group testing is a laboratory test that determines an individual's blood type based on the presence or absence of certain proteins, called antigens, on the surface of red blood cells. The most commonly used blood group system is the ABO system, which classifies blood into four types: A, B, AB, and O. Type A blood has A antigens on the red blood cells, type B blood has B antigens, type AB blood has both A and B antigens, and type O blood has neither A nor B antigens. Another important blood group system is the Rh system, which determines the presence or absence of the Rh factor, a protein that is either positive or negative. Individuals who have the Rh factor are classified as Rh-positive, while those who do not have the Rh factor are classified as Rh-negative. Blood group testing is important in a variety of medical settings, including blood transfusions, organ transplants, and during pregnancy. Blood transfusions must be carefully matched to the recipient's blood type to avoid a dangerous immune reaction that can occur if the recipient's immune system recognizes the transfused blood as foreign and attacks it. Blood group testing is typically performed using a small sample of blood, which is mixed with reagents that contain antibodies specific to the ABO and Rh blood group systems. If the red blood cells clump together, this indicates the presence of the corresponding antigens, allowing for the determination of the individual's blood type.

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