Conversion Technology
ZymeQuest's technology is concerned with the specific antigens found on the surface of human red blood cells that determine each individual's ABO blood group. If donor red cells are transfused to a recipient of a different ABO blood group, the incompatible donor red cell antigens may cause a transfusion reaction in the recipient. In such a reaction the transfused red cells are recognized as foreign and destroyed by the recipient's defense mechanisms. The destruction of transfused red cells inside the body is always dangerous and may result in permanent injury or death. ZymeQuest's technology virtually eliminates the risk of transfusion reactions related to blood group incompatibility. The groups A and B blood group antigens that cause transfusion reactions are removed by the Company's enzymatic blood conversion procedure. Removal of these A and B antigens results in red blood cells that may be transfused safely to recipients of any ABO blood group.
The presence or absence of these groups A and B antigens determines an individual's blood group (A, B, AB or O). Human beings have specific, naturally occurring antibodies that are designed to attack and destroy "foreign" red cells that are of a different blood group. A transfusion reaction is a response to A or B red cell antigens being recognized as foreign and attacked and destroyed by naturally occurring antibodies in the recipient's blood.
Group O red blood cells do not have A or B antigens. Therefore, they may be transfused to recipients of all blood groups without risk of transfusion reaction. This is why group O donors are sometimes known as "universal donors".
Individuals with group A red cells have the antibody against group B red cells (anti-B) in their plasma. Conversely, individuals with group B red cells have anti-A in their plasma. (Group A blood contains anti-B, and group B blood type anti-A.) If group B red cells are transfused to a group A individual, the anti-B antibody found in the group A individual's plasma will recognize the "invading" group B cells as foreign and destroy them. Similarly, if group A red cells are transfused to a group B person, the anti-A in that person's plasma will recognize the A cells as foreign and destroy the transfused A cells. Therefore, groups A and B red cells should be transfused only to recipients of the same ABO blood group. Group AB red cells should be transfused only to group AB recipients. AB is recognized as foreign and destroyed by the anti-A or anti-B antibodies in recipients having either A, B or O red cells.
It is this requirement for group specific blood that causes many of the difficult issues related to managing and delivering our blood supply. Transfusion of incompatible blood groups is dangerous and should always be avoided. The logistics of delivering the required quantity of the necessary blood groups to the right place within the required time are complex. Group O red blood cells, however, may be transfused to groups A, B, AB or O recipients, i.e., recipients of any blood group, because O red cells have neither A nor B antigens. Without A or B antigens, group O cells are not recognized as foreign by individuals of A, B or AB blood types. This is why group O red blood cells are referred to as "universal" and may safely be transfused to recipients of any ABO blood group. (Group AB blood contains neither anti-A nor anti-B. Consequently, group AB recipients may receive transfusions of any blood group.) The following chart shows the percentage of the population by ABO blood group.
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