BOF: Transfusion (Red Cell Serology)

For the routine antibody screen prior to blood transfusion, which ONE of the following red cell antigens can be expressed either HETEROZYGOUSLY or HOMOZYGOUSLY on screening cells, but must be present, to allow for the detection of clinically significant atypical red cell alloantibodies.

a) B

b) C

c) E

d) N

e) S

Answer:

N

Explanation:

Screening red cells must be group O, express all Rh antigens (except Cw) HOMOZYGOUSLY, as well as Fyᵃ, Fyᵇ, Jkᵃ, Jkᵇ, S and s, and may express homo- or heterozygously K, M, N, P1, Leᵃ and Leᵇ. They do not need to express Cw, Luᵃ and Kpᵃ.

Reference:

British Committee for Standards in Haematology, Milkins, C., Berryman, J., Cantwell, C., Elliott, C., Haggas, R., Jones, J., Rowley, M., Williams, M. and Win, N. (2013), Guidelines for pre-transfusion compatibility procedures in blood transfusion laboratories. Transfusion Medicine, 23: 3–35.