Lan blood group system

The Lan blood group system is one of the many blood group systems in humans. It is characterized by the presence or absence of the Lan antigen on the surface of red blood cells. The Lan antigen is a high-prevalence antigen, meaning it is present in the majority of the population.

Diagram of autosomal recessive inheritance.

Discovery

The Lan blood group system was first identified in the late 20th century. It was named after the first patient in whom the Lan-negative phenotype was discovered. The Lan antigen is encoded by the ABCB6 gene, which is located on chromosome 2.

Genetics

The Lan blood group system is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means that an individual must inherit two copies of the recessive allele, one from each parent, to express the Lan-negative phenotype. Individuals with one copy of the recessive allele and one copy of the dominant allele will express the Lan-positive phenotype.

Clinical Significance

The Lan blood group system is clinically significant in blood transfusion and organ transplantation. Individuals who are Lan-negative may develop alloantibodies against the Lan antigen if exposed to Lan-positive blood. This can lead to hemolytic transfusion reactions if Lan-negative individuals receive Lan-positive blood.

Prevalence

The Lan-negative phenotype is extremely rare, occurring in less than 1% of the population worldwide. It is more commonly found in certain ethnic groups, such as the Romani people.

Testing

Testing for the Lan blood group is typically performed using serological methods. Molecular testing can also be used to identify the presence or absence of the ABCB6 gene variant associated with the Lan-negative phenotype.

Related Pages

• Blood group system
• ABCB6
• Autosomal recessive
• Blood transfusion