All Blood Converted to Type O?

UnanimousCoward writes "The BBC is reporting that scientists claim to have discovered a technique to convert all blood into Type O with the discovery of an enzyme that can strip the A and B antigens. This has implications to transform the stored blood supply into transfusable blood for all. It does not address the RH negative issue, however."

Comments

Adolescent humor

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but can they get out the cooties?

No RH, no problem... for me.

[el americano]

It does not address the RH negative issue, however

OK, so not everyone would be a universal recipient, but most people would be. 85% of the US population (apologies to the international community.

Synthetic Blood

[gears6556]

I'm actually surprised that we haven't developed synthetic blood before now. We've known about blood types for 100 years and I keep expecting to see a machine producing blood cells in the news any day now.

Provided with the proper nutrients couldn't we keep a cell alive and dividing to have an unlimited supply?

Something I didn't know before that I learned from the article: Anyone can receive type O blood without risk.

Great post!

Re:Synthetic Blood

[empaler]

I've always held that being blood type AB is probably one of the biggest fortunes of my life. Of course, like all other privileges, it should be shared, and even though I can get tap water in my veins and my body won't reject it, I donate (note: not sell) willingly and regularly to help others. In the end, if they start running low, it won't affect me if I get run down in that time, but that'd just mean I'd be taking blood that could help others.

Re:O negative, eh?

[kenrick]

O Negative is the preferred donor type, as (IIRC) anyone can accept it, but no other blood type works for us poor O Neg's. O Rhesus +ve will work for O negs once. You're born with ABO antibodies but for all other antigens (including Rhesus antigen), you need an initial exposure to trigger antibody development. Therefore, anyone who's Rhesus negative can receive _one_ transfusion of Rhesus positive blood (providing its ABO crossmatched) without major risk of reaction. It's exceedingly bad practice to do this, but can be lifesaving in an emergency (i.e. no other Rhesus negative blood around).

Re:Half solution

[tripa]

Half solution is not a solution!

It's a full solution to the half problem.
Is half a problem not a problem?

Breakthrough?

[dj_tla]

While I may be naive, this sounds like one of the most significant pieces of medical news I've heard in my lifetime. I'm curious about how much impact this news could have if it turns out to be safe and effective. Type O is in short supply compared to other types, for obvious reasons, but does anyone have any statistics (that aren't made up) concerning deaths as a result of not having the proper type of blood? If the current and future blood supplies were converted to type O (theoretically, I would assume this would be done as needed), how many lives could it save?

A couple of answers...

[teidou]

My day job is to run a blood bank.

The enzymes discussed in the article are the next step in 25+ years working toward the goal of making blood universally compatible. The enzymes are years and years away from routine use, if they ever do make it to market. Offhand, major questions that need to be addressed include: Does it *really* work? Is the process cost-effective at manufacturing scales? Is it safe? Does the enzyme affect other proteins so people make antibodies?

Conversion of non-O RBCs to group O RBCs will make them more widely compatible, and may alleviate the shortage of group O RBCs, but does not affect Rh compatibility or the compatibility of platelets or of FFP. We would still have shortages of these products even when the process is up and running, and, so, we still need people to donate.

There are a number of guesses, comments, and half-truths posted above. I'll do my best to answer specific (on-topic!) questions posted as replies to this comment.

Teidou.

Re:Uh oh...

[Pope]

Good grief!

All the more reason to round up the superstitious idiots in the world and turn them into an organ bank.

Re:In the Meantime

[Seedy2]

Yes, lines of people who are probably not eligible.
Do you thing having a cash incentive to lie is likely to make more people tell the truth about whether they are eligible or not?
If you need a transfusion, do you want the unit that came from the junkie who lied on the form so they could get something to eat that day?
The safety of the blood supply goes way down when you start paying people, that's why it's not allowed in the US.
Anyone who "donates" and gets paid, the plasma isn't going to people, it goes to make cosmetics and stuff.