ABSTRACT
This lab was done to see the parents of a child of one mother and a possible two
fathers. First you find ABO blood type of all four subjects, by testing the blood with
chemicals to find type. Next you find the Rh type of each person by applying both antiRh serum and a drop of blood to a slide and stir for two minutes, do same with control
group. Note agglutination to discover type of blood. After blood type of each subject is
discovered, compare and discover who is the parent.
INTRODUCTION
The area of blood type is a well studied area through years of research. Through
this knowledge people are able to tell relation to others that before would have been
impossible to tell. Like the problem in this experiment, a mother with two possible
fathers, blood type can be used to find the actual paternal father. This information leads
to the following hypothesis: If the blood type of one individual is the outcome of two
other individuals, then the two other individuals are the paternal parents of the one
individual, because the blood type has factors of both parents.
First of all the main part of the study of blood revolves around the basic four
types of blood that people know, A, B, AB, and O. These blood types are actually four of
about eight. All blood types are due to differences in antigens in the blood. Antigens are,
“…substances that can trigger an immune response if they are foreign to the body”
(American Red Cross 2009). All four types of blood are made up of the antigens A
and/or B, but differ in location of antigen and type of antigen. In addition to those two
types of antigen there is the Rh antigen. This antigen makes up the rest of the eight,
either A+ or A-, B+ or B-, AB+ or AB-, and O+ or O-.
Due to this commonality among blood type antigens donating between people is
possible. Donating is simple process due to the universal use of the A and B antigen. A
type blood has A antigen, B blood has B antigen, AB blood has both A and B antigen in
the red blood cells, and O blood has both A and B antigen in the plasma. This causes A
to be able to receive from O or A, B to be able to receive from O or B, AB to be able to
receive from A,B, or AB, and O to only be able to receive from O. Also in this process of
donating comes into play the antigen Rh . If you have the Rh antigen, or are Rh positive,
you can receive both, Rh positive and negative blood. Though if you are Rh negative
you can only receive Rh negative blood. For this reason O negative is the universal
donor and can give to anyone while AB positive is the universal recipient and can
receive from anyone.
As was discussed, the area of blood is one that is well studied and that scientists
have knowledge of. Through this knowledge we know the components of blood and the
ability of certain bloods to combine. With these guidelines in mind, humans receive and
donate blood that can be used to save lives.
EXPERIMENT
MATERIALS
1. Blood Type Slide
2. 10 Toothpicks
3. Anti-A Serum
4. Anti-B Serum
5. Anti-Rh Serum
6. 4 Blood Samples
PROCEDURE
1. Placed one drop of anti-A serum and one drop of anti-B serum in respective
depression circles in blood type slide at room temperature.
2. Added one drop of the synthetic blood sample being tested to each drop of the
antiserum.
3. Added one drop of blood to the extra depression circle as your control, do not
add antiserum
4. Mixed the blood sample and antisera with the clean end of a toothpick, scraped
firmly against the slide in the process. Continued for two minutes or until
agglutination was noticed.
5. The control group was mixed for two minutes
6. Analyzed the slides and determined whether or not agglutination occurred.
Recorded results in table
1. Placed one drop of anti-Rh serum in depression marked Rh.
2. Added one drop of the blood sample being tested to the drop of antiserum.
3. Added one drop of blood to the extra depression circle for control. Did not add
antiserum
4. Mixed the blood and antiserum thoroughly for two minutes with a toothpick,
rubbed the side as stirred. Looked for agglutination of cells.
5. Mixed the control blood for two minutes with tooth pick and looked for
agglutination.
6. Interpreted and recorded results in table after two minutes.
RESULTS
1
Perso Agglutination (+ or -) ABO Blood Rh Blood
n
Type
Type
A
B
Rh
+
+
Quinn +
A
2
Puck
-
+
+
B
+
I^Bi or I^BI^B
3
Finn
+
+
-
AB
-
A^AI^B
4
Baby
-
-
+
+
ii
Sample #
O
Possible genotypes
IA^i or I^AA^A
CONCLUSION
The results show that either Puck or Finn could be the father. Due to the baby’s
O+ blood, the mother A+, and the possible fathers AB- or B+ they both could have had
the child. These results neither prove nor disprove my hypothesis. The experimental
process was effective, through the testing process and the use of a control. Errors in the
experimental procedure could have happened in the cleanliness of the utensils used or
the samples taken. These steps could be improve through the multiple repeats of the
tests with fresh samples every time.
REFERENCES
1. Blood types. (2010, June 1). Retrieved from
http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn -about-blood/blood-types