Indian blood group system

Indian blood group system is a blood group system that was discovered in 1952. It is one of the 36 known human blood group systems recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). The Indian blood group system is unique due to its rarity and the severe hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) that can occur if the mother is negative and the baby is positive.

History[edit | edit source]

The Indian blood group system was first discovered in 1952 in Mumbai, India. The system was identified when a patient experienced a transfusion reaction after receiving a blood transfusion. Further investigation revealed that the patient had antibodies against a previously unknown blood group antigen, which was subsequently named "Indian" (In).

Antigens[edit | edit source]

The Indian blood group system consists of two antigens, In^a and In^b. These antigens are located on a protein called CD44, which is found on the surface of many cells in the body, including red blood cells. The In^a antigen is extremely rare, while the In^b antigen is present in almost all individuals.

Clinical significance[edit | edit source]

The Indian blood group system has significant clinical implications, particularly in the context of blood transfusion and pregnancy. If a person with In^a negative blood receives a transfusion of In^a positive blood, they may develop an immune response and experience a transfusion reaction. Similarly, if a pregnant woman is In^a negative and her baby is In^a positive, there is a risk of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN).