Individuals with blood group AB can donate blood to individuals with blood group(s)___________?

Analyze the question: It asks which blood groups can receive blood from a person with blood group AB (an AB donor).

Concept: Blood groups are defined by antigens on the red blood cells and antibodies in the plasma.

| Blood group | Antigens on red cells | Antibodies in plasma | |---|---|---| | A | A | anti-B | | B | B | anti-A | | AB | A and B | none | | O | none | anti-A and anti-B |

A recipient's antibodies attack any foreign antigen in the donated blood, so the donor's red cells must not carry an antigen the recipient has antibodies against.

Solution:

1. AB red cells carry both antigen A and antigen B.
2. A recipient of group A has anti-B antibodies, which would attack the B antigen. So AB blood cannot go to group A.
3. A recipient of group B has anti-A antibodies, which would attack the A antigen. So AB blood cannot go to group B.
4. A recipient of group O has both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, so AB blood cannot go to group O.
5. A recipient of group AB has no antibodies against A or B, so AB blood is safe for them.

Therefore, AB individuals can donate only to AB individuals.

Checking the options:

• A. A and B: wrong, because the antibodies would attack the donated cells.
• B. A and O: wrong, for the same reason.
• C. AB only: correct.
• D. O only: wrong. Group O can receive only from O.

Tip: Remember that AB is the universal recipient (it can receive from everyone) but can donate only to AB. O is the universal donor (it can give to everyone) but can receive only from O. The two roles are opposites.