Using enzymes produced by a bacteria that almost everyone has in their gut, researchers have removed the antigens from red blood cells that determine blood type, putting us within reach of producing universal donor blood.

“Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Lund University, Sweden, have used enzymes produced by a common gut bacteria to remove the A and B antigens from red blood cells, bringing them one step closer to creating universal donor blood.”

  • @ArcaneGadget
    5•7 months ago

    No-no. I was thinking more along the lines of: What if some of those enzymes for stripping blood cells of antigens got into your bloodstream and started stripping your own blood cells of antigens. If for example a blood donation hadn’t gotten “filtered” well enough after the enzyme process.

    • @morphballganon
      9•7 months ago

      I’m not an expert but I think the body would just make more of their type and be fine. The destructive agents would be spent fairly quickly and be removed.

    • @[email protected]
      3•7 months ago

      Your body doesn’t have issue with the stripped donor blood so it wouldn’t have any issue if your blood cells got stripped. The whole point of a blood transfusion is that your immune system doesn’t know the difference between your blood and the donor blood.