Most people (80%) are "secretors", with ABH antigens present in saliva and other body fluids. The presence of these substances may help protect against certain bacterial infections by reducing the ability of the bacteria to use these antigens to bind to a cell surface.
A person who is homozygous (SeSe) or heterozygous (seSe) for the secretor gene will secrete ABH antigens into body fluids, depending on the blood type.
A person who is homozygous (sese) for nonsecretor gene will not.
|
ABO Blood Type |
Anitgens in Secretions if Secretor |
Antigens in Secretions if Nonsecretor |
|
O |
H |
none |
|
A |
H, A |
none |
|
B |
H, B |
none |
|
AB |
H, A, B |
none |
In detecting secretor status, antibody to specific antigen is first mixed with a patient's body fluid. If antigen is present in the fluid, then it will bind to the antibody, otherwise the antibody is left free. Subsequent testing of the mixture with indicator cells will not agglutinate cells with the target antigen if antigen is present in the fluid, otherwise it will.
|
ABO Type |
Antibody Solution |
Mixture with Indicator Cells |
Interpretation |
|
A |
anti-A |
A cells do not agglutinate |
secretor |
|
A |
anti-A |
A cells do agglutinate |
non-secretor |
|
B |
anti-B |
B cells do not agglutinate |
secretor |
|
B |
anti-B |
B cells do agglutinate |
non-secretor |
|
O |
anti-H |
O cells do not agglutinate |
secretor |
|
O |
anti-H |
O cells do agglutinate |
non-secretor |
Exceptions:
(1) A secretor of blood type Ax or Ael will only have H in secretions.
(2) A secretor of blood type Bx will only have H in secretions.
(3) A secretor of blood type Oh will not have H in secretions.
Specialty: Clinical Laboratory
ICD-10: ,
