PRODUCTION OF ABO ANTI-SERA AND A SLIDE AND FILTER PAPER- BASE TECHNIQUE FOR ABO BLOOD GROUPING USING REJECTED BLOOD

ABSTRACT ABO is the most important blood group system in transfusion medicine and transplantation immunology. The ABO blood groups differ by the presence or absence of antigens on red blood cells surfaces and antibodies in plasma. Accurate determination of ABO blood group system is critical. The determination of this ABO status is based on some traditional serological techniques. Food and oxygen are supplied to the cells and metabolic by-products exported from the same cells by blood. Anemic patients require blood transfusion to be able to meet up with their normal cellular function. Blood is yet to be produced artificially and some of its components can only be stored for a short period of time. To meet patients need for blood, a wide and healthy base of blood donors, willing to donate blood when required, are needed. The donated blood sometimes could be unsafe for transfusion and in such cases, should be rejected and discarded. This study therefore was aimed at recycling this rejected blood in the healthcare system to make it useful again by developing a slide and filter paper-based test for ABO blood group system. Red blood cell membrane containing antigens A and B from blood group A and B respectively were isolated and these antigens used to immunize animals. Few months later the animals were bled and anti-sera against these antigens collected. The anti-sera were used to test for ABO compatibility on the slide and filter paper. When the anti-sera was tested for antibody production the results was negative with non-immunized animals and positive for animals that were immunized. When the filter paper strip was used for blood grouping the blood stayed almost at the same spot for strip immobilized with non-compatible anti-sera