Other blood types

Other blood types

Updated: 07/22/2025

© Jun Wang, MD, PhD

 

MNSs system

• Glycophorin A: M, or N antigen
• Glycophorin B: S or s antigen
• Anti-M or Anti-N: IgM, naturally occurring, usually clinically insignificant
• Anti-S or Anti-s: IgG, occur after exposure, clinically significant, may cause acute or delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction or hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn

Kell system

• K (uncommon) or k (very common)
• May cause acute or delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions
• May cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn
• Usually extravascular hemolysis
• Anti K: IgG, most common non-ABO antibodies after anti-D, formed following exposure
• Anti-k: IgG, very rare due to high frequency of k

Duffy system

• Fy^a: common in Asians
• Fy^b: common in Caucasians
• Absence of both: common in Africans, resistant to plasmodium vivax and plasmodium knowlesi
• IgG antibodies formed after exposure
• Usually not involved in autoimmune hemolysis 
• May cause acute or delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions
• Usually cause extravascular hemolysis 
• May cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, usually mild

Kidd system

• Jk^a, Jk^b, Jk³
• Very high frequency
• IgG formed after exposure
• Most commonly associated with delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction
• Intravascular hemolysis
• Rarely cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn

Lutheran system

• Lu^a (low frequency) and Lu^b (very high frequency)
• Antibody uncommon, may be naturally occurred (anti- Lu^a)
• Usually insignificant

 

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