[laboratoryequipment]

All Donated Blood May Be Turned to Universal Type

Every day, thousands of people need donated blood. But only blood without A- or B-type antigens, such as type O, can be given to all of those in need, and it’s usually in short supply. Now, scientists are making strides toward fixing the situation. In ACS’ Journal of the American Chemical Society, they report an efficient way to transform A and B blood into a neutral type that can be given to any patient.

Stephen Withers and colleagues note that currently, blood transfusions require that the blood type of the donor match that of the recipient. If they aren’t the same, a patient can suffer serious side effects, and could even die. The exception is the universal-donor blood type O, which can be given to anyone because it doesn’t have the A or B antigens that could provoke an immune reaction.

Read more: http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2015/04/all-donated-blood-may-be-turned-universal-type