IN 2023, a paper was printed within the journal Blood that ended a thriller stretching again 4 a long time. It detailed the existence of a new blood type, first proposed within the Nineteen Eighties – and of which there at the moment are 45 so far.

This specific discovery was born from tragedy. A child died instantly shortly after delivery. Its mom was subsequently found to have a blood kind (or group) that had by no means been recognized earlier than, whereas the newborn had inherited its father’s. The 2 blood teams interacted in a uncommon method that led to a deadly inflammatory response.

It displays a long-standing thriller of the human physique – simply what number of blood sorts there actually are, and the way this a part of our physiology will evolve sooner or later. We’re making headway: our just lately improved understanding of the variations in our blood helps to make transfusions safer and even beginning to reveal how your blood group influences your well being.

What number of blood sorts are there?

Blood sorts are distinguished by what sort of antigens are hooked up to pink blood cells and how much antibodies are within the surrounding plasma. The 4 most typical blood teams are A, B, O and AB, which relate to combos of antigens and antibodies, however delve somewhat deeper and there’s astonishing complexity. At present, the 45 blood sorts signify greater than 390 completely different antigens and antibodies, with new discoveries being made on a regular basis.

This…