Jakarta, goldensamoyed Indonesia
—
The general public knows
blood type
as O, A, B, and AB.But, did you know that there is a rare blood type that only 50 people in the world have?
This blood type is called ‘
golden blood
‘.What’s that’
golden blood
‘?
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‘
Goldenblood
‘ actually refers to the Rh-null blood type, a blood type that has no rhesus antigen (Rh) at all on the surface of red blood cells.
Rh-null is formed due to a genetic mutation that is very far apart.The absence of the Rh antigen makes this blood have different characteristics compared to other blood types.
It is important to know that blood type is determined by the presence of antigens, proteins or sugars on red blood cells which signal the immune system.In Rh-null, all Rh antigens are absent.
Can Rh-null owners accept and become donors?
Those with Rh-null blood are often considered universal donors.The reason is, their blood can be used for anyone without triggering an immune reaction due to the Rh antigen.
However, the same thing does not apply to those with Rh-null blood themselves.They can only accept blood donations from Rh-null people.
This makes blood transfusions for Rh-null owners very risky.If you receive blood with a different antigen, the body will form antibodies and can attack the donor’s blood.
Its rarity means scientists are now trying to develop Rh-null blood in the laboratory to save more lives.Based on reports
BBC
, scientists tried to grow Rh-null red blood cells from reprogrammed stem cells.
In 2018, biology professor from the University of Bristol, Ash Toye, used the CRISPR-Cas9 technique to create Rh-null blood cells.However, this technology is still very tightly regulated and cannot be applied directly to humans.
Currently, Toye and his team are working on RESTORE, the first study to test the effectiveness of lab-grown red blood cells when donated to the human body.
If the research is successful, laboratory cultured blood has the potential to become a very helpful source of transfusion reserves.Primarily, for patients with Rh-null blood type.
(asr)
