Question

Write a 700-800 word APA format essay explaining the human blood type inheritance.

Answer 1

Human blood groups is an example of multiple alleles and codominance. These blood groups are determined by the carbohydrate antigens located on the RBC membrane.
Antigens A and B are codominant to each other i.e. they are equally expressed in a heterozygote.
Antigens A and B are dominant to O.

A blood group = IAIA or IAIO
B blood group = IBIB or IBIO
AB blood group = IAIB
O blood group = IOIO

The AB blood group is considered as the universal acceptor as they contain both types of antigens and can accept blood from all the other types.
The O blood group is considered as the universal donor as it does not contain any type of antigens and can donate blood to all types.

Apart from this, there is another antigen known as the Rh factor.
The Rh-factor exhibits a typical Mendelian inheritance pattern.
The Rh+ve is dominant to Rh-ve.
Rh+ve = +/+ or +/-
Rh-ve = -/-

There are a few other types that are also identified such as MN blood groups and Bombay phenotype.