Bikini Bottom: Blood Type Genetics And Codominance (Page 3 of 6) in pdf

Bikini Bottom: Blood Type Genetics And Codominance Page 3

If a person loses a lot of blood, he/she is given a blood transfusion: someone else’s blood is

injected into the person’s blood vessels. If you are given blood that does not match your blood

type, the antibodies in your blood will attack the antigens on the donated blood, causing the

donated red blood cells to burst or clump together and block blood vessels. Transfusion reactions

can be fatal, so doctors always test a person’s blood type before giving him/her donated blood.

6. Test your understanding of blood groups by completing the table below.

Blood Group

Antigens on red

Antibodies in

Can receive

Can give blood

blood cells

blood

blood from

Anti-B

A and O

A and AB

A and B

None

7. Based on the table above, which blood type would be considered a universal donor

(someone who can give blood to anyone)?

Your blood type is established before you are born by your genes, which were inherited from your

parents. You receive one allele for blood type from your mom and one allele for blood type from

your dad. The three possible alleles are:

: codes for A antigens on red blood cells

: codes for B antigens on red blood cells

i: does not code for any antigens

Everyone has TWO alleles for blood type in their cells, which means there are six possible

genotypes and four possible blood types.

8. List the six possible genotypes (combinations of alleles) for blood type. Group them

according to the four possible phenotypes (blood type).

Phenotype

Genotype

Type A (two genotypes possible)

Type B (two genotypes possible)

Type AB (one genotype possible)

Type O (one genotype possible)

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