Blood Typing Lab
Emily Cocq, 4B
Introduction:
This is an activity designed to further enhance our knowledge and
understanding of blood types and the Rh factor, including its incompatibility, by
performing an actual blood typing procedure. We are to observe the antigen and
antibody reaction in the simulated blood and determine the ABO and Rh blood type
of four unknown samples. In addition, we are also required to estimate the number
of red and white blood cells in normal blood.
Materials:
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4 Blood typing slides
12 Toothpicks
1 Microscope slide
1 Cover slip
Compound microscope (400x magnification)
Marker
4 Unknown blood samples:
o Mr. Smith
o Mr. Jones
o Mr. Green
o Ms. Brown
Simulated Anti-A Serum
Simulated Anti-B Serum
Simulated Anti-Rh Serum
Procedure:
***PART A***
1) Label each of the blood typing slides (ie. Slide #1: Mr. Smith
2) Place three drops of Mr. Smith’s blood in each of the A, B, and Rh wells of
slide 1
3) Repeat step 2 with Mr. Jones’s blood.
4) Repeat step 2 with Mr. Green’s blood.
5) Repeat step 2 with Ms. Brown’s blood.
6) Place 3 drops of simulated Anti-A serum in each A well on the four slides.
7) Place 3 drops of simulated Anti-B serum in each B well on the four slides.
8) Place 3 drops of simulated Anti-Rh serum in each Rh well on the four
slides.
9) Use 3 toothpicks per blood typing slides and be careful not to get them
mixed up, as it will affect the results. Stir well for about 30 seconds,
making sure not to spill any blood.
10)Record all observations from the blood reactions.
***Part B***
1. Thoroughly shake one of the vials of simulated blood. Add one drop of
simulated blood to a microscope slide, and cover with a cover slip. Lower the
cover slip slowly to avoid trapping air bubbles on the slide
2. Examine the slide with low power (10x). Find an area of the slide with an
even distribution of cells.
3. Switch to high power (40x). Refocus and count the number of simulated
red blood cells (red spheres) in the field of view. Count the cells in any clump
separately. Record the number in table 2
4. Count the number of simulated white blood cells (blue spheres). Record
the number in table 2
5. Repeat the counting procedure with two other fields of view. Record
these counts in Table 2
6. Calculate the average of the three red blood cell counts and the three
white blood cell counts. Record the results in table 2
7. Multiply the average number of red and white blood cells by the dilution
factor to determine the number of red and white blood cells per cubic
millimeter. Record each value in Table 2
8. Dispose of all materials
Data:
Table 1
Anti-A Serum
Reaction
(Type A)
No reaction
Slide 1Mr. Smith
Slide 2Mr. Jones
Slide 3Mr. Green
Slide 4Ms. Brown
Reaction
(Type A)
No reaction
Anti-B Serum
No Reaction
Reaction
(Type B)
No reaction
No reaction
Anti-Rh Serum
Reaction
(Positive)
No reaction
Reaction
(Positive)
No reaction
Blood Type
Type A
(Positive)
Type B
Negative
Type A
Positive
Type O
Negative
Table 2
Blood
Cell
Type
Red
(Red)
White
Cell
Count
1
240
Cell
Count
2
267
Cell
Count
3
282
Total #
of Cells
789
Avg # of
Cells or
Total/3
263
11
8
13
32
10.7
Dilution
Factor
Total #
Blood Cells
150,
000
5,000
39,600,000
53,350
Conclusion:
There are a total of 39,600,000 red blood cells and a total of 53,350 white
blood cells.
Evaluation:
StrengthsOverall, Part A was very successful. All the data results showed up to
be as they were intended and no huge problems were encountered. It was efficient,
well paced and was finished in time.
WeaknessesIn the first part of the experiment (Part A), our group was very clumsy in
spilling a lot of the simulated blood during Step 9. Also, in the second part of the
experiment (Part B) my partner and I had not cleaned our cover slip of our slide
very well, or there was dust and residue on the microscope lens or light. Whatever
the problem, we ended up focusing in on what we thought were red blood cells, but
were in fact useless dust. We had to wash and clean everything and get a new cover
slip and slide, which took extra time.
ImprovementsIf I were to redo this procedure, I would have been more careful in
spilling blood in Part A, because droplets could have flown into the other blood
wells and interfered with the proper data. Experiments and procedures should be
done very carefully in order not to spoil raw data, even if a class period is all that is
given. Also, as I have learned from the Part B of the procedure, before starting a lab I
will now need to clean every microscope lens where the specimen will be viewed
from over or above, and make sure slides and cover slips are also cleaned well, with
the proper tissues.