Posted by My essay goes more in depth of how our blood antigens and antibodies interact, as my picture showcases an experiment to visualize the baseline of ABO compatibility as a simple and easy equation. As blood type O is clear water, it acts as an universal donor and successfully blends in with every other type. Blood type AB, as green, is able to ingest it’s individual parts, blue and yellow, without changing its color as a whole. This represents its act as universal recipient.
Mey’s project began with an interest in the steady stream of blood bags she helped process at work. Out of curiosity of how blood types work together, she began researching. There are several disorders that can result in a person needing blood transfusions, and it’s incredibly important for the transfusion to be compatible with that person’s blood, otherwise it is fatal. When considering blood types, the antibodies and antigens on the blood cells are what determine the type. At its most basic level, antibodies attack antigens, which are usually the pathogens in the immune system. But in blood typing, the antigens are proteins on the surface of the blood cell that determine whether to attack a foreign substance. These antigens are helpful, but if a blood type with certain antigens is exposed to a blood type with certain antibodies, the antibodies will attack the donor cell which causes it to spill hemoglobin in the plasma. This can cause fever, hypotension and ultimately kidney failure. Some blood types that are compatible with each other are A or B given to AB blood, and of course A to A blood or B to B blood. Incompatible types would be A and B, since A has anti-B antibodies while B has anti-A antibodies. Her artwork depicts the different types that are compatible and incompatible with each other making good use of color to make it clear. Yellow represents A, blue represents B, white represents O and green represents AB. O is white because it is considered a universal donor. I like that she has the colors mix together to demonstrate whether they are compatible or not.