Apr 4, 2023

Isohemagglutinins: Understanding the Role of Natural Antibodies in Blood Typing and Transfusion Medicine

Isohemagglutinins, also spelled as "isohaemagglutinins," are antibodies that are naturally produced by the immune system in response to certain blood group antigens that are not present on an individual's own red blood cells.

Isohemagglutinins are typically of the IgM type of antibodies and can cause agglutination (clumping) of red blood cells that express the corresponding antigen. For example, a person with blood type A will have naturally occurring isoagglutinins against the B antigen, and vice versa for blood type B. People with blood type AB have neither anti-A nor anti-B isoagglutinins, while those with blood type O have both anti-A and anti-B isoagglutinins.

Isohemagglutinins can be clinically significant in transfusion medicine and transplantation, as they can cause hemolytic transfusion reactions and transplant rejection if not properly matched. Therefore, blood typing and cross-matching are essential to ensure compatibility between donors and recipients.

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