What are antigens on red cells?

Antigens on red cells are proteins or carbohydrates that are found on the surface of red blood cells. These antigens are responsible for determining a person's blood group. There are many different types of antigens, and each person has a unique combination of them.

The most important antigens are the ABO antigens. There are three main types of ABO antigens: A, B, and O. People who have type A blood have only A antigens on their red cells, people who have type B blood have only B antigens on their red cells, and people who have type O blood have neither A nor B antigens on their red cells.

Another important antigen is the Rh antigen. People who have the Rh antigen are Rh-positive, while people who don't have the Rh antigen are Rh-negative.

Antigens on red cells can be inherited from our parents. We inherit one set of antigens from our mother and one set of antigens from our father. The combination of these antigens determines our blood group.

Antigens on red cells are important because they can cause immune reactions. If a person receives a blood transfusion from a donor who has incompatible antigens, their immune system may attack the donor's red cells. This can lead to a serious condition called hemolytic transfusion reaction.

For this reason, it is important to make sure that blood transfusions are only given to people who have compatible blood types.