The blood groups of humans and primates

  • May 15, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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The blood groups of humans and primates

Subject: Science & tech

Section: Basic science

Context- Chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan have blood groups containing AB, A, B and O, just like humans- shows a study.

Concept-

About the study:

  • Analysis of the blood group markers of some Neandertals and Deni­sovans showed the presence of the ABO group, and some other markers that are used today in blood transfusion.
    • Neanderthals and Denisovans are an extinct species of hominids that were the closest relatives to modern human beings.
  • Primates (chim­panzee, gorilla, orangutan, gibbons) also have blood groups containing AB, A, B and O, just as we humans have.

Blood is a constantly circulating fluid providing the body with nutrition, oxygen, and waste removal. Blood is mostly liquid, with numerous cells and proteins suspended in it, making blood “thicker” than pure water. The average person has about 5 liters (more than a gallon) of blood. 

Blood contains many types of cells: white blood cells (monocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and macrophages), red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets. 

Blood Types: There are 4 main blood groups (types of blood) – A, B, AB and O. Blood group is determined by the genes one inherits from parents. Each group can be either RhD positive or RhD negative, which means in total there are 8 blood groups.

Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a liquid called plasma. Blood group is identified by antibodies and antigens in the blood.  

Antibodies are proteins found in plasma. They’re part of the body’s natural defences. They recognise foreign substances, such as germs, and alert the 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:

  1. Blood group A (23%, In India) – has A antigens on the red blood cells with anti-B antibodies in the plasma
  2. Blood group B (34%, In India) – has B antigens with anti-A antibodies in the plasma
  3. Blood group O (35%, In India) – has no antigens, but both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma
  4. Blood group AB (8%, In India) – has both A and B antigens, but no antibodies

Receiving blood from the wrong ABO group can be life-threatening. For example, if someone with group B blood is given group A blood, their anti-A antibodies will attack the group A cells. This is why group A blood must never be given to someone who has group B blood and vice versa.

As group O red blood cells do not have any A or B antigens, it can safely be given to any other group.

Blood Types:

  • The A, B, and O blood groups were first identified by Austrian immunologist Karl Landsteiner in 1901.
  • Under the ABO blood group system, blood group are classified into four common blood groups i.e. A, B, AB and O.
  • Each red blood cell has antigen over its surface, which helps determine which group it belongs to.
  • For instance, in the AB blood group, both antigens A and B are found. A will have A antigens; B will have B antigens. In O, there are no A or B antigens.
  • Blood types are deter­mined by the presence (or absence) of certain antigens (molecules that can trigger an immune response), if they are foreign to the body of the recipient.
  • Thus, a matching of the blood type of the donor with that of the receiver is neces­sary.

The Rh system: Red blood cells sometimes have another antigen, a protein known as the RhD antigen. If this is present, the blood group is RhD positive. If it’s absent, the blood group is RhD negative. This means one can be 1 of 8 blood groups:

  1. A RhD positive (A+)
  2. A RhD negative (A-)
  3. B RhD positive (B+)
  4. B RhD negative (B-)
  5. RhD positive (O+)
  6. RhD negative (O-)
  7. AB RhD positive (AB+)
  8. AB RhD negative (AB-)

What are the rarest blood types?

AB negative is the rarest of the eight main blood types – just 1% of our donors have it.

  • O positive: 35%
  • O negative: 13%
  • A positive: 30%
  • A negative: 8%
  • B positive: 8%
  • B negative: 2%
  • AB positive: 2%
  • AB negative: 1%

What is the golden blood type?

Rhnull: One of the rarest blood types in the world is Rhnull, sometimes referred to as ‘golden blood‘. People with this blood type have a complete absence of any of the Rh antigens.

Blood bank where blood gathered by the donation from blood donors is saved and preserved for later use in blood transfusion at optimum temperature.

What is the difference between Neanderthal and Denisovan?

Neanderthals were very early (archaic) humans who lived in Europe and Western Asia from about 400,000 years ago until they became extinct about 40,000 years ago. Denisovans are another population of early humans who lived in Asia and were distantly related to Neanderthals.

The primates (chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, gibbons) also have blood groups containing AB, A, B and O, just as we humans have.

About Primates:

  • Primates is a taxonomic order that includes a diversified group of animals such as Lemurs, Lorises, Tarsiers, Monkeys, Apes and Humans.

Apes and Humans: 

  • Both are members of Superfamily Hominoidae and further divided into two families viz.,
    • Hylobatidae (Gibbons) and
    • Hominidae (Orangutans, African apes {gorilla and chimpanzee} and Human).
  • Gibbons:
    • Also called lesser apes.
    • They are excellent brachiators (suspensory climbing) and are monogamous.
  • Orangutans:
    • Largest and rarest Asian apes.
    • Usually walks by quadrupedal.
    • Facing the danger of extinction.
  • African Apes:
    • Gorilla – Largest Apes.
    • As of 2011, only 786 gorillas in the world.
    • Chimpanzees – More closely resemble humans than a gorilla.
    • Quadrupedal knuckle walkers as a gorilla
    • Intelligent animals with generally pleasant personalities.
    • Their interactions can be quite noisy, violent, and sometimes fatal.
    • Bonobos: Close relatives of chimpanzees.
    • Sometimes referred to as pygmy chimpanzees.
  • Humans:
    • Only living species – Homo sapiens.
    • Shows sexual dimorphism similar to that of other apes.
    • Humans and African apes have the same internal organs, same bones and some blood groups in common.
    • Erect posture and bipedalism due to modified pelvic bone sand spinal column.
    • Humans and chimpanzees share 96% similarities in DNA base-pair sequences.
    • This shows that the two species had a common ancestor and got evolved into separated species 6-7 million years ago.

Stages of Evolution of Human:

  • Dryopithecus
  • Ramapithecus
  • Australopithecus
  • Homo
    • Homo habilis
    • Homo erectus
    • Homo sapiens
      • Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
      • Homo sapiens sapiens

Science and tech The blood groups of humans and primates