Blood Typing Activity1.pdf - Simulated Blood Typinq...

Simulated Blood Typinq
Activity
Introduction:
Immune
system
recognizes
pathogens and
foreign
substances
in
the
body and
destroys
or
inhibits
their functioning.
Antibodies
(Anti-)
are the
cells
produced by
the
immune
system
to
recognize
and
attach to
the invading substance.
It
is
a marker on
the outside
of
a
cell,
the antigen,
which an
antibody
will
recognize
and
bind
to.
The
interaction
between an
antibody
and
the antigen
causes clumping
(agglutination)
which
prevents the functioning
of
the
invading
cell
and
leads
to
its
breakdown.
The
body's
ability
to distinguish
self
from non-self
can have
serious
implications.
When
a
transfusion of blood
is
given,
foreign
cells
are entering
your
body.
If
these
cells
possess
antigens
to
antibodies already
in
your
bloodstream,
agglutination
will
occur as
the
immune
system
is
attacking
the
"invading" blood.
The
immune
system produces
antibodies
to
the antigens
NOT
present
on
your
red
blood
cells.
For example,
type
A
blood
possesses
A
antigen
and
produces
anti-B
antibodies.
If
blood
is
transfused
into
someone
possessing the
antibodies
to
that
type
of
blood the
immune
system
will
attack
and
destroy
the "foreign"
blood
cells.