Rarest of the Rare, but it can kill #medical #genetics

Rare and terrible, a newborn suffered a brain hemorrhage and died. Something was wrong with the baby’s blood – but what?

Researchers made a startling discovery: The mother had an ultrarare blood type, incompatible with her own baby.

I’ve gone through life with the simple notion that human blood can be A, B, O, or AB, and positive or negative. Wow, am I wrong.

Lipid structure in red blood cell membranes

[Studies] confirmed a new set of blood grouping—the “Er” system, the 44th to be described. “Discovering a new blood group system is like discovering a new planet. It enlarges the landscape of our reality.” Wired with my emphasis added

These alternate blood types are exceedingly rare – sometimes confined to a single family. Their red blood cells produce proteins different from the vast majority of people. Only the latest lab techniques make it possible to screen for these oddities. This may not effect you and me, but could be lifesaving for someone out there, somewhere.

Someone might have a preliminary blood test that reveals the presence of unusual antibodies. Doctors could send the blood for analysis, and it might turn out that they have rare blood. “We have our testing set up to be able to do that,” says Thornton. In the future, scientists in a lab might be able to grow red blood cells that could be offered to these patients for transfusion purposes. Wired

Blood types were discovered in 1900. What could be older science news than blood types? Or so I thought. Life is more complicated than I can imagine.

Thanks to the journal Blood.