Universal Donor/Recipient - Plasma vs. Blood: Why?

ABO typing follows rules first determined by Dr. Karl Landsteiner in 1901. Namely, we produce naturally occurring antibodies (predominantly IgM) against specific terminal sugars not found on our red cells, as determined by our genotype. Type O patients produce anti-A, anti-B and anti-AB antibodies, which circulate in plasma, the liquid portion of the blood. Since Type O patients do not have the A or B sugar on the red cell membrane, A or B antibodies in plasma will not agglutinate or hemolyze their red cells. Since AB donors have both sugars on their red cell membranes, they do not generally produce red cell antibodies (possible in rare cases of A or B subtype donors), and their plasma may be given to all patients. Rh typing is not required for fresh frozen plasma transfusions or source plasma donations. If a volunteer donor is found to have anti-D antibodies in their plasma, hospitals will generally not accept the product. In this situation, paid plasma centers may need the plasma for the production of RhoGam.

As stated earlier, plasma is the liquid portion of whole blood, containing all clotting factors, antibodies, inhibitors, nutrients, etc circulating in the intravascular space. Cellular blood components float in plasma as they circulate throughout the body.

Universal Plasma Donor

Just a small correction O+ is the universal blood donor, AB- is the universal recipient. O+ is the most common then A+ B+ O- A- AB+ B- AB- for white people at least. Plasma is reversed so AB- is the universal plasma donor, which is a large part of why AB- is considered so important when only 1% of the population has the blood type. I used to wonder why you would need anything other than O- before I found that out, it didn't make sense that a blood type that 1% of people can receive is so important.

Jesse Lacey, Your posted correction is incorrect.

Quickly i feel i should clarify what Rh- vs. Rh+ actually is. Blood contains an Rh factor because the RBCs will either carry antigens on their surface or they wont have antigens on their surface. Rh+ blood types are positive for antigens on the surface of RBCs and Rh- blood types carry no antigens on the surface of their RBCs.

--->O+ is strictly an Rh+ blood donor because it carries antigens on the surface of the RBC's (examples of antigens: D-antigen or IgG) - this makes Rh+ blood types not compatible to donate for transfusion with ANY Rh- blood type, and at the same time Rh- blood types acceptable donors to RH+ blood types.

--->In the same way, AB+ is actually the universal recipient. AB+ carries RBC antigens that are only able to be received by other AB+, therefore AB- can not receive AB+ blood. AB+ can only donate to other AB+ blood types. The AB- Rh factor can only receive from other Rh- blood types because the Rh+ RBCs carry antigens that are not compatible with Rh- receivers. Because Rh- blood types carry no antigens on their RBC's, they are compatible donors for their specific ABO Rh- and Rh+ matches. This is why O- is the universal donor while AB+ is the universal receiver.

---> Plasma on the other hand is a little different of a story. The antigen markers exist only on the surface of the RBC's which are suspended in the plasma. This is why plasma has no Rh factor. However plasma does contain antibodies, more specifically anti- antibodies. type O blood plasma contains both anti-A and anti-B antibodies and therefore can only donate to other type O recipients while it can receive plasma from any ABO type. type AB contain no ABO blood type antibodies, and is therefore a universal donor of plasma, however AB blood type can only receive plasma from other AB blood types because the AB antigens on RBC surface are only compatible with AB plasma. AB plasma is useful because the blood plasma contains the clotting factors which preventing us all from bleeding out when we bleed. Without plasma, our immune system would be s%*t without antibodies... but more to the point, a cut deep enough to draw blood would be fatal. Cue mortal combat voice, "FATALITY!!!"

universal donorrecipient plasma blood

other sources say O negative universal donor for whole blood