Piper Rossi

Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Blood
Forensic Science used: Blood Typing
Summary of Science:
Blood typing is used to determine one persons blood to another. Blood typing is biased
on the antigens in the blood and if the blood contains Rh antigens or not. The antigens and Rh
proteins distinguish one blood specimen to another. There are 4 different kinds of blood that an
individual can have, including Type A, Type B, Type AB and Type O. All of these different
kinds of blood react to other types of blood differently. For example, if you were to but Type B
blood into Type A blood, the Type A blood would take Type B blood as a specimen that does not
belong in the body and attack it. Such as in this animation:
If you have Type O blood you are in very good shape, Type O blood can accept any other
type of blood. However, you cannot be very helpful by donating because the only people that can
accept Type O blood are other people with Type O blood. If you have Type AB blood you are
the opposite of Type O blood. You can be very helpful to others, but you can only accept Type
AB blood. Type A, Type B, and Type O can all accept your blood type. So if you have Type AB
blood, it is very helpful for you to give blood.
You can use blood typing in a crime scene by eliminating some suspects by their blood
type. When blood from a perpetrator or a victim is left at the scene they can test this blood to see
what kind of blood type this is. Then you can get the blood types from all of the suspects and
possible victims and rule them out according to the blood types. Not only can you use the blood
types but you can also use the antigens that are in the blood to test. There are over 100 antigens
in the blood, including ABG, MN, Rh and Gm. The one that I have heard the most about is the
antigen Rh. This is a protein that some blood types have and others dont. Having or not having
this protein does not affect your daily life. You can survive with or without it, but when giving
someone a blood transfusion, you have to make sure that if they dont have the protein Rh, then
you dont give them blood that does. However if someone has blood that does have the protein,
they can receive blood with or without the protein.
Blood typing can be preformed in a hospital or a clinical laboratory. First you must clean
the skin with an antiseptic to prevent infections. Then a rubber band is wrapped around the
patients arm to enhance the visibility of their veins. A needle is used to draw several samples of
blood. After the draw, you place bandages will be placed over the hole that the needle has left.
To determine their blood type, the lab specialist will mix their blood with antibodies that attack
types A and B to determine the reaction. If their blood cells clump together with antibodies that
react against type A blood, then they have type B blood. Then the blood is mixed with anti-Rh
serum. If their blood cells clump together when the anti-Rh serum that means they have Rh+
blood.

Conclusion:
It was found that Aaron had type A blood. I did not hear that there was any more blood
found at the scene, therefor you cant use blood typing to your advantage in this case. Aarons
wifes clothes were given to us after class was already over. There could have been more blood
on those clothes, but we did not get to examine them.

Sources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003345.htm
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/landsteiner/images/fig8-aggl.swf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTF7WehgM8&feature=endscreen&NR=1
http://www.healthline.com/health/blood-typing#Overview1