Blood and Blood Types

Chapter 8

Introduction and History

o
o

Blood typing - class evidence

DNA profiling - individual evidence

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood Function
o

Transport of
substances (O2, CO2,
nutrients, waste, heat,
hormones)
Regulation (pH,
temperature, hydration)
Defense (blood loss,
microbes, toxins)

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

JP Wilson

Composition of Blood
o

Red blood cells - carry oxygen to the bodys cells

and carbon dioxide away
White blood cells - fights disease and foreign
invaders and, alone, contain cell nuclei
Platelets - aids in blood clotting and the repair of
damaged blood vessels
Plasma - a liquid suspending other blood
components

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Composition of Blood

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Types of Blood Cells

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Cellular Components of Blood

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood TypingProteins
o
o
o

Discovered in 1900 by Karl Landsteiner

Proteins embedded in the cell
Quicker and less expensive than DNA profiling

42%

12%
3%
of the population in the United States

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

43%

Rh Factor
85% of the population has a protein called
RH factor on their blood cells

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood TypingAntibodies
o

10

Antibodies are Y-shaped

proteins that attach to
antigens to clump the cells
together
Antigens are foreign
molecules that react to
antibodies (found on
outside of red blood cells)

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Antigens and Blood Types

o

Type A Blood has Antigen A on the surface of the

Red Blood Cell
Type B Blood has Antigen B on the surface of
the Red Blood Cell
Type AB Blood has both Antigen A and Antigen B
on the surface of the Red Blood Cell
Type O Blood has neither Antigen A nor Antigen
B on the surface of the Red Blood Cell

Blood Typing - Antibodies

o
o

12

Antibodies attach to antigens and clump

Antigens molecules that react to
antibodies
Blood Type

Antigens

AB

A, B

none

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Antibodies

Blood Typing - Antibodies

o
o

13

Antibodies attach to antigens and clump

Antigens molecules that react to
antibodies
Blood Type

Antigens

Antibodies

Anti-B

Anti-A

AB

A, B

None

none

Anti-A & Anti-B

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood Typing
o

14

If you mix A blood & B blood, what will

happen?

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood Typing
o

15

Agglutination clumping of
RBCs
Immune reaction occurs when
antibodies react with unknown
blood type
http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/m
edicine/landsteiner/images/fig8-aggl.swf

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood typing
o

17

How could you use agglutination to help you

blood type accurately?

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood typing
o

Place unknown blood on a surface with

different antibodies (Anti-A, Anti-B, and AntiRh)
- Anti-Rh is to test for the Rh factor (+/-)

Blood Type

18

Anti-A

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Anti-B

Anti-Rh

Control

Figure 14.10 Multiple alleles for the ABO blood groups

Blood Enzymes
o

20

Enzymes are complex proteins that catalyze

different biochemical reactions
Many enzymes and proteins have been found in
the blood that are important for identification
purposes

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8

Blood Typing
Probability and Blood Types
o

The probability of a blood type equals the product of

probabilities for each protein group
If Type A = 42% and Rh Factor = 85%
Then A+ = .42 x .85 = .357 (35.7%)
Knowing additional proteins and enzymes in the
blood sample

21

Narrows the population group

Increases the probability of identifying a suspect

Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 8