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Frequently asked questions about HLA numbers

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Frequently asked questions about HLA numbers

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Does it matter if HLA numbers are a good match or not?

We prefer a good match, although this is more important for deceased donor kidneys. When a deceased donor kidney becomes available, UK Transplant matches the six numbers that the donor has with the best match for all the potential recipients on the on-call register.
One way of thinking of this is that it is very much like the National Lottery. That is, we all have our own six numbers and if the donor had the same six numbers as one of the recipients on the list, they would be offered that kidney.

This is called a ‘6-antigen match’ or a ‘full house match’. Just like winning the lottery jackpot, this does not happen very often. Five numbers matching is a bit more common, and four numbers matching is a bit more common again. However, we do not like to take less than four numbers matching as far as possible, unless the child has numbers that are extremely uncommon in the population and very unlikely, therefore, to be matched.

If the child is lucky enough to receive a full house 6-antigen matched kidney from a deceased donor, then this is the only match that does as well as a kidney from a parent, even though the parent may only have three numbers in common with their child. This is because the parent may have other things in common that we do not match for or even understand. It is also because the kidney is taken from the parent and very rapidly transferred into the child, with very little wait in between.

Another reason why we prefer well-matched kidneys is that if your child meets with an HLA number that they do not have, they make an antibody to it. This means that if the transplant fails, they cannot be given that number again. This makes it more difficult to find a transplant for them the second time.

For example:

if the donor has HLA numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and the recipient has:1 2 3 7 8 9 then the recipient will make antibodies to numbers 4,5 and 6.

Therefore the next donor will not be able to have these numbers, as the child would reject the kidney. Some HLA numbers are more common in the population than others, so there are some numbers that we are particularly keen not to mismatch.

Is it possible to decrease the chances of my child developing antibodies to my mismatched numbers, if they were to have a deceased donor kidney first?

What we can do is to put your child on-call for a new kidney, but only accept a kidney with your mismatched numbers excluded.

For example:

If you are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and your child is: 1 2 3 7 8 9 then we can ask UK Transplant to put your child on-call, but not offer any kidney that has numbers 4,5 or 6.

Your child should not then make antibodies to any of your mismatched numbers but we can never guarantee this.

Blood may need to be given at the time of the transplant, and as blood cells also carry these numbers and the blood may have come from several different donors, your child may make antibodies to them. Some antibodies also react with more than one HLA number.

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This section explains about tissue typing, what we are doing when we see if your kidney is a good match for your child and why we are doing it.

Step one: blood group

If you are considering donation of a kidney to your child, you will first need to have your blood group checked. If your child is blood group AB, which is rare, a person with any blood group can donate. If your child is one of the other blood groups (A, O or B), you must either be the same blood group or blood group O, which can donate to all. You may not necessarily be a blood group that is compatible with your child.

If you are not, you are excluded from donating your kidney at present. Research may find ways around this in the future, but we do not know when this could happen.

Step two: tissue typing

If your blood group is compatible, we can then proceed to tissue typing to see how 'well matched' your kidney is to your child. Contrary to what it sounds like, tissue typing only involves a simple blood test.

The tissue type is what makes someone react to a donated kidney. Normally, tissue type is involved in the process of getting rid of viruses from the body. There are six principal pieces of protein in the cells of the body that are involved in this process.

These are called HLA antigens and scientists have given them each a different number, as they have been discovered. Your child inherited three of the six from each parent, but cannot inherit a number that neither parent has.
For example
if the mother's HLA numbers are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and the father's HLA numbers are: 7 8 9 10 11 12 then their child could have HLA numbers: 1 2 3 7 8 9 or: 4 5 6 10 11 12 or: 2 4 5 7 9 10 but could not be: 1 2 3 7 10 13

The outcome of this is that if you are not the child's biological parent, for example, a step mum or step dad, foster parent or adoptive parent, you are unlikely to be a good match, so we would not usually wish to consider you as a donor.

Special note: paternity test
It is important for you to understand that tissue typing is similar to what is sometimes called 'paternity testing'. That is, the results may help to confirm (or not) the biological parents of the child. We ask that you consider this carefully and before agreeing to the test, we would want you, as a family, to decide who should be told if the results are unexpected. That is, if the tests were to show that one or other of you is not the 'blood parent', would both of you, one of you or neither of you want to be told? If you have any questions or concerns about this, you must discuss them either with the doctor or nurse or your family doctor (GP) before undergoing the blood test. We ask that you consider this carefully.
Frequently asked questions about HLA numbers

Does it matter if HLA numbers are a good match or not?

We prefer a good match, although this is more important for deceased donor kidneys. When a deceased donor kidney becomes available, UK Transplant matches the six numbers that the donor has with the best match for all the potential recipients on the on-call register.
One way of thinking of this is that it is very much like the National Lottery. That is, we all have our own six numbers and if the donor had the same six numbers as one of the recipients on the list, they would be offered that kidney.

This is called a '6-antigen match' or a 'full house match'. Just like winning the lottery jackpot, this does not happen very often. Five numbers matching is a bit more common, and four numbers matching is a bit more common again. However, we do not like to take less than four numbers matching as far as possible, unless the child has numbers that are extremely uncommon in the population and very unlikely, therefore, to be matched.

If the child is lucky enough to receive a full house 6-antigen matched kidney from a deceased donor, then this is the only match that does as well as a kidney from a parent, even though the parent may only have three numbers in common with their child. This is because the parent may have other things in common that we do not match for or even understand. It is also because the kidney is taken from the parent and very rapidly transferred into the child, with very little wait in between.

Another reason why we prefer well-matched kidneys is that if your child meets with an HLA number that they do not have, they make an antibody to it. This means that if the transplant fails, they cannot be given that number again. This makes it more difficult to find a transplant for them the second time.
For example:
if the donor has HLA numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and the recipient has:1 2 3 7 8 9 then the recipient will make antibodies to numbers 4,5 and 6.

Therefore the next donor will not be able to have these numbers, as the child would reject the kidney. Some HLA numbers are more common in the population than others, so there are some numbers that we are particularly keen not to mismatch.

Is it possible to decrease the chances of my child developing antibodies to my mismatched numbers, if they were to have a deceased donor kidney first?

What we can do is to put your child on-call for a new kidney, but only accept a kidney with your mismatched numbers excluded.
For example:
If you are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and your child is: 1 2 3 7 8 9 then we can ask UK Transplant to put your child on-call, but not offer any kidney that has numbers 4,5 or 6.

Your child should not then make antibodies to any of your mismatched numbers but we can never guarantee this.

Blood may need to be given at the time of the transplant, and as blood cells also carry these numbers and the blood may have come from several different donors, your child may make antibodies to them. Some antibodies also react with more than one HLA number.

The final step:

cross match

When we have decided who will be the donor, we need to put the donor's blood and the child's blood together to be sure that they do not react. This is called cross matching. They will only react if the recipient has HLA antibodies already, for example, if they have had a previous transplant or if they have been given blood previously. If the bloods react against each other, this is called a 'positive cross match' and the transplant cannot go ahead. If the cross match is negative, all is well and the donor can then carry on with tests to establish that he or she is healthy and able to donate a kidney.

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This section explains about tissue typing, what we are doing when we see if your kidney is a good match for your child and why we are doing it. If you are considering donation of a kidney to your child, you will first need to have your blood group checked.

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There is a special pattern of antigens that are present on each persons cells and tissues. One half of the persons antigens will come from their mother (inherited) and the other half from the father. Moreover, identical twins have the same pattern, but everyone else has his or her own pattern. In addition, brothers and sisters have a 1 in 4 chance of having a set of identical match. Therefore, each individual person's antigen patterns can be "fingerprinted" through a tissue type test.

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While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents.

The Basic Elements of Blood

Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood. Your blood is made up of different kinds of cells that float in a fluid called plasma:

● Your red blood cells deliver oxygen to the various tissues in your body and remove carbon dioxide.

● Your white blood cells destroy invaders and fight infection.

● Your platelets help your blood to clot.

● Your plasma is a fluid made up of proteins and salts.

What makes your blood different from someone else's is your unique combination of protein molecules, called antigens and antibodies.

Antigens live on the surface of your red blood cells. Antibodies are in your plasma.

The combination of antigens and antibodies in your blood is the basis of your blood type.

The Different Blood Types

There are four major blood groups and eight different blood types. Doctors call this the ABO Blood Group System.

The groups are based on whether or not you have two specific antigens -- A and B:

● Group A has the A antigen and B antibody.

● Group B has the B antigen and the A antibody.

● Group AB has A and B antigens but neither A nor B antibodies.

● Group O doesn't have A or B antigens but has both A and B antibodies.

There's also a third kind of antigen called the Rh factor. You either have this antigen (meaning your blood type is "Rh+" or "positive"), or you don't (meaning your blood type is "Rh-" or "negative"). So, from the four blood groups, there are eight blood types:

● A positive or A negative

● B positive or B negative

● AB positive or AB negative

● O positive or O negative

Why Does Blood Type Matter?

Blood groups were discovered in 1901 by an Austrian scientist named Karl Landsteiner. Before that, doctors thought all blood was the same, so many people were dying from blood transfusions.

Continued

Now experts know that if you mix blood from two people with different blood types, the blood can clump, which may be fatal. That's because the person receiving the transfusion has antibodies that will actually fight the cells of the donor blood, causing a toxic reaction.

In order for a blood transfusion to be safe and effective, it's important for the donor and the recipient to have blood types that go together. People with blood group A can safely get group A blood, and people with blood group B can receive group B blood.

It's best when a donor and recipient are an exact match and their blood goes through a process called crossmatching. But the donor doesn't always need to have the exact same type of blood as the person receiving it. Their types just have to be compatible.

Which Blood Types Are the Best to Donate?

Type O negative red blood cells are considered the safest to give to anyone in a life-threatening emergency or when there's a limited supply of the exact matching blood type.

People with O negative blood were once called "universal" red cell donors because it was thought they could donate blood to anyone with any blood type. But now experts know there can even be risks with this type of blood.

Does the Blood Type Diet Really Work?

Over the past decade, there have been many claims about a so-called " blood type diet," in which you eat specific foods for your blood type in order to lower your risk of certain diseases and improve your overall health. But a 2013 scientific review found there's no evidence that eating for your blood type makes you any healthier.

Sources

SOURCES:

NobelPrize.org: "What is a blood type?"

American Red Cross: "Blood Types," "Blood Facts and Statistics."

Mayo Clinic: "Blood Transfusion."

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Blood type diets lack supporting evidence: a systematic review."

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While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents. Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood.

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The closer the match of antigens that there is the more likely that an organ or tissue transplant will be successful. Therefore, a better match may mean that fewer anti rejection drugs will be needed.

The more similarities that the antigen patterns have from two people, the more likely it is that they are related.

Some diseases (such as multiple sclerosis or ankylosing spondylitis are more likely in those who have a certain antigen pattern.

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While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents.

The Basic Elements of Blood

Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood. Your blood is made up of different kinds of cells that float in a fluid called plasma:

● Your red blood cells deliver oxygen to the various tissues in your body and remove carbon dioxide.

● Your white blood cells destroy invaders and fight infection.

● Your platelets help your blood to clot.

● Your plasma is a fluid made up of proteins and salts.

What makes your blood different from someone else's is your unique combination of protein molecules, called antigens and antibodies.

Antigens live on the surface of your red blood cells. Antibodies are in your plasma.

The combination of antigens and antibodies in your blood is the basis of your blood type.

The Different Blood Types

There are four major blood groups and eight different blood types. Doctors call this the ABO Blood Group System.

The groups are based on whether or not you have two specific antigens -- A and B:

● Group A has the A antigen and B antibody.

● Group B has the B antigen and the A antibody.

● Group AB has A and B antigens but neither A nor B antibodies.

● Group O doesn't have A or B antigens but has both A and B antibodies.

There's also a third kind of antigen called the Rh factor. You either have this antigen (meaning your blood type is "Rh+" or "positive"), or you don't (meaning your blood type is "Rh-" or "negative"). So, from the four blood groups, there are eight blood types:

● A positive or A negative

● B positive or B negative

● AB positive or AB negative

● O positive or O negative

Why Does Blood Type Matter?

Blood groups were discovered in 1901 by an Austrian scientist named Karl Landsteiner. Before that, doctors thought all blood was the same, so many people were dying from blood transfusions.

Continued

Now experts know that if you mix blood from two people with different blood types, the blood can clump, which may be fatal. That's because the person receiving the transfusion has antibodies that will actually fight the cells of the donor blood, causing a toxic reaction.

In order for a blood transfusion to be safe and effective, it's important for the donor and the recipient to have blood types that go together. People with blood group A can safely get group A blood, and people with blood group B can receive group B blood.

It's best when a donor and recipient are an exact match and their blood goes through a process called crossmatching. But the donor doesn't always need to have the exact same type of blood as the person receiving it. Their types just have to be compatible.

Which Blood Types Are the Best to Donate?

Type O negative red blood cells are considered the safest to give to anyone in a life-threatening emergency or when there's a limited supply of the exact matching blood type.

People with O negative blood were once called "universal" red cell donors because it was thought they could donate blood to anyone with any blood type. But now experts know there can even be risks with this type of blood.

Does the Blood Type Diet Really Work?

Over the past decade, there have been many claims about a so-called " blood type diet," in which you eat specific foods for your blood type in order to lower your risk of certain diseases and improve your overall health. But a 2013 scientific review found there's no evidence that eating for your blood type makes you any healthier.

Sources

SOURCES:

NobelPrize.org: "What is a blood type?"

American Red Cross: "Blood Types," "Blood Facts and Statistics."

Mayo Clinic: "Blood Transfusion."

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Blood type diets lack supporting evidence: a systematic review."

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While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents. Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood.

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HLA is used for:

Bone marrow transplant

Cord blood transplants

Celiac disease

Searches for inherited antigens creating a percentage of the match.

HLA is the Human Leukocyte antigen system or complex is a gene encoding that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins within humans. the specific cell-surface proteins are responsible for the regulation of the immune system within the human body.

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HLA typing is complex

You have many HLA markers. Half are inherited from your mother and half from your father, so each brother and sister who shares the same parents as you has a 25% chance (1 in 4) of being a close HLA match. Extended family members are not likely to be close HLA matches. But about 70% (7 out of 10) of patients who need a transplant won't have a fully matched donor in their family.

Research has found that a donor must match a minimum of 6 HLA markers. Many times a closer match is required. A best match is found through detailed testing. Because some HLA types are more common than others, some patients may face a greater challenge in finding a matching donor. Some HLA types are found more often in certain racial and ethnic groups.

HLA matching is important for transplant

A close match between a donor's and a patient's HLA markers is essential for a successful transplant outcome. HLA matching promotes the growth and development of new healthy blood cells (called engraftment) and reduces the risk of a post-transplant complication called graft-versus-host (GVHD) disease. Learn more details about HLA matching.

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Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Typing & HLA Matching

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You have many HLA markers. Half are inherited from your mother and half from your father, so each brother and sister who shares the same parents as you has a 25% chance (1 in 4) of being a close HLA match. Extended family members are not likely to be close HLA matches.

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A tissue typing test is like a blood test that is used to test for:

Antigen patterns

Antigens on the surface of body cells and tissue cells

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents.

The Basic Elements of Blood

Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood. Your blood is made up of different kinds of cells that float in a fluid called plasma:

● Your red blood cells deliver oxygen to the various tissues in your body and remove carbon dioxide.

● Your white blood cells destroy invaders and fight infection.

● Your platelets help your blood to clot.

● Your plasma is a fluid made up of proteins and salts.

What makes your blood different from someone else's is your unique combination of protein molecules, called antigens and antibodies.

Antigens live on the surface of your red blood cells. Antibodies are in your plasma.

The combination of antigens and antibodies in your blood is the basis of your blood type.

The Different Blood Types

There are four major blood groups and eight different blood types. Doctors call this the ABO Blood Group System.

The groups are based on whether or not you have two specific antigens -- A and B:

● Group A has the A antigen and B antibody.

● Group B has the B antigen and the A antibody.

● Group AB has A and B antigens but neither A nor B antibodies.

● Group O doesn't have A or B antigens but has both A and B antibodies.

There's also a third kind of antigen called the Rh factor. You either have this antigen (meaning your blood type is "Rh+" or "positive"), or you don't (meaning your blood type is "Rh-" or "negative"). So, from the four blood groups, there are eight blood types:

● A positive or A negative

● B positive or B negative

● AB positive or AB negative

● O positive or O negative

Why Does Blood Type Matter?

Blood groups were discovered in 1901 by an Austrian scientist named Karl Landsteiner. Before that, doctors thought all blood was the same, so many people were dying from blood transfusions.

Continued

Now experts know that if you mix blood from two people with different blood types, the blood can clump, which may be fatal. That's because the person receiving the transfusion has antibodies that will actually fight the cells of the donor blood, causing a toxic reaction.

In order for a blood transfusion to be safe and effective, it's important for the donor and the recipient to have blood types that go together. People with blood group A can safely get group A blood, and people with blood group B can receive group B blood.

It's best when a donor and recipient are an exact match and their blood goes through a process called crossmatching. But the donor doesn't always need to have the exact same type of blood as the person receiving it. Their types just have to be compatible.

Which Blood Types Are the Best to Donate?

Type O negative red blood cells are considered the safest to give to anyone in a life-threatening emergency or when there's a limited supply of the exact matching blood type.

People with O negative blood were once called "universal" red cell donors because it was thought they could donate blood to anyone with any blood type. But now experts know there can even be risks with this type of blood.

Does the Blood Type Diet Really Work?

Over the past decade, there have been many claims about a so-called " blood type diet," in which you eat specific foods for your blood type in order to lower your risk of certain diseases and improve your overall health. But a 2013 scientific review found there's no evidence that eating for your blood type makes you any healthier.

Sources

SOURCES:

NobelPrize.org: "What is a blood type?"

American Red Cross: "Blood Types," "Blood Facts and Statistics."

Mayo Clinic: "Blood Transfusion."

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Blood type diets lack supporting evidence: a systematic review."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents. Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood.

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Step one: blood group

If you are considering donation of a kidney, you will first need to have your blood group checked. If the individual you are donating to is blood group AB, which is rare, a person with any blood group can donate. If they are one of the other blood groups (A, O or B), you must either be the same blood group or blood group O, which can donate to all. You may not necessarily be a blood group that is compatible with the person you are donating to.

Step two: tissue typing

If your blood group is compatible, we can then proceed to tissue typing to see how ‘well matched’ your kidney is to the individual you are donating to. Contrary to what it sounds like, tissue typing only involves a simple blood test.
The tissue type is what makes someone react to a donated kidney. Normally, tissue type is involved in the process of getting rid of viruses from the body. There are six principal pieces of protein in the cells of the body that are involved in this process.
These are called HLA antigens and scientists have given them each a different number, as they have been discovered. Your child inherited three of the six from each parent, but cannot inherit a number that neither parent has.

The final step: cross match

When we have decided who will be the donor, we need to put the donor’s blood and the child’s blood together to be sure that they do not react. This is called cross matching. They will only react if the recipient has HLA antibodies already, for example, if they have had a previous transplant or if they have been given blood previously. If the bloods react against each other, this is called a ‘positive cross match’ and the transplant cannot go ahead. If the cross match is negative, all is well and the donor can then carry on with tests to establish that he or she is healthy and able to donate a kidney.

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This section explains about tissue typing, what we are doing when we see if your kidney is a good match for your child and why we are doing it.

Step one: blood group

If you are considering donation of a kidney to your child, you will first need to have your blood group checked. If your child is blood group AB, which is rare, a person with any blood group can donate. If your child is one of the other blood groups (A, O or B), you must either be the same blood group or blood group O, which can donate to all. You may not necessarily be a blood group that is compatible with your child.

If you are not, you are excluded from donating your kidney at present. Research may find ways around this in the future, but we do not know when this could happen.

Step two: tissue typing

If your blood group is compatible, we can then proceed to tissue typing to see how 'well matched' your kidney is to your child. Contrary to what it sounds like, tissue typing only involves a simple blood test.

The tissue type is what makes someone react to a donated kidney. Normally, tissue type is involved in the process of getting rid of viruses from the body. There are six principal pieces of protein in the cells of the body that are involved in this process.

These are called HLA antigens and scientists have given them each a different number, as they have been discovered. Your child inherited three of the six from each parent, but cannot inherit a number that neither parent has.
For example
if the mother's HLA numbers are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and the father's HLA numbers are: 7 8 9 10 11 12 then their child could have HLA numbers: 1 2 3 7 8 9 or: 4 5 6 10 11 12 or: 2 4 5 7 9 10 but could not be: 1 2 3 7 10 13

The outcome of this is that if you are not the child's biological parent, for example, a step mum or step dad, foster parent or adoptive parent, you are unlikely to be a good match, so we would not usually wish to consider you as a donor.

Special note: paternity test
It is important for you to understand that tissue typing is similar to what is sometimes called 'paternity testing'. That is, the results may help to confirm (or not) the biological parents of the child. We ask that you consider this carefully and before agreeing to the test, we would want you, as a family, to decide who should be told if the results are unexpected. That is, if the tests were to show that one or other of you is not the 'blood parent', would both of you, one of you or neither of you want to be told? If you have any questions or concerns about this, you must discuss them either with the doctor or nurse or your family doctor (GP) before undergoing the blood test. We ask that you consider this carefully.
Frequently asked questions about HLA numbers

Does it matter if HLA numbers are a good match or not?

We prefer a good match, although this is more important for deceased donor kidneys. When a deceased donor kidney becomes available, UK Transplant matches the six numbers that the donor has with the best match for all the potential recipients on the on-call register.
One way of thinking of this is that it is very much like the National Lottery. That is, we all have our own six numbers and if the donor had the same six numbers as one of the recipients on the list, they would be offered that kidney.

This is called a '6-antigen match' or a 'full house match'. Just like winning the lottery jackpot, this does not happen very often. Five numbers matching is a bit more common, and four numbers matching is a bit more common again. However, we do not like to take less than four numbers matching as far as possible, unless the child has numbers that are extremely uncommon in the population and very unlikely, therefore, to be matched.

If the child is lucky enough to receive a full house 6-antigen matched kidney from a deceased donor, then this is the only match that does as well as a kidney from a parent, even though the parent may only have three numbers in common with their child. This is because the parent may have other things in common that we do not match for or even understand. It is also because the kidney is taken from the parent and very rapidly transferred into the child, with very little wait in between.

Another reason why we prefer well-matched kidneys is that if your child meets with an HLA number that they do not have, they make an antibody to it. This means that if the transplant fails, they cannot be given that number again. This makes it more difficult to find a transplant for them the second time.
For example:
if the donor has HLA numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and the recipient has:1 2 3 7 8 9 then the recipient will make antibodies to numbers 4,5 and 6.

Therefore the next donor will not be able to have these numbers, as the child would reject the kidney. Some HLA numbers are more common in the population than others, so there are some numbers that we are particularly keen not to mismatch.

Is it possible to decrease the chances of my child developing antibodies to my mismatched numbers, if they were to have a deceased donor kidney first?

What we can do is to put your child on-call for a new kidney, but only accept a kidney with your mismatched numbers excluded.
For example:
If you are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and your child is: 1 2 3 7 8 9 then we can ask UK Transplant to put your child on-call, but not offer any kidney that has numbers 4,5 or 6.

Your child should not then make antibodies to any of your mismatched numbers but we can never guarantee this.

Blood may need to be given at the time of the transplant, and as blood cells also carry these numbers and the blood may have come from several different donors, your child may make antibodies to them. Some antibodies also react with more than one HLA number.

The final step:

cross match

When we have decided who will be the donor, we need to put the donor's blood and the child's blood together to be sure that they do not react. This is called cross matching. They will only react if the recipient has HLA antibodies already, for example, if they have had a previous transplant or if they have been given blood previously. If the bloods react against each other, this is called a 'positive cross match' and the transplant cannot go ahead. If the cross match is negative, all is well and the donor can then carry on with tests to establish that he or she is healthy and able to donate a kidney.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This section explains about tissue typing, what we are doing when we see if your kidney is a good match for your child and why we are doing it. If you are considering donation of a kidney to your child, you will first need to have your blood group checked.

# data[].attributes.body
A tissue typing test is a blood test that identifies the substances in the blood that are called antigens, these are found on the surface of the body cells and the tissues. Examining the antigens gives you information if the donor tissue is safe or compatible, for a transplant for another person. The test may also be known as HLA typing. based around the antigens, the immune system can notify the difference between the normal body tissue and foreign tissue (for example, the tissue from a donor). The tissue typing aids the search to find the best match of tissue from the donor to the patient having the transplant. The test also helps find the match for the blood cells, such as platelets. However, in some cases a tissue typing test may be performed to see weather a person has a chance of developing certain diseases that cause the body to attack its own cells, known as autoimmune disease.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents.

The Basic Elements of Blood

Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood. Your blood is made up of different kinds of cells that float in a fluid called plasma:

● Your red blood cells deliver oxygen to the various tissues in your body and remove carbon dioxide.

● Your white blood cells destroy invaders and fight infection.

● Your platelets help your blood to clot.

● Your plasma is a fluid made up of proteins and salts.

What makes your blood different from someone else's is your unique combination of protein molecules, called antigens and antibodies.

Antigens live on the surface of your red blood cells. Antibodies are in your plasma.

The combination of antigens and antibodies in your blood is the basis of your blood type.

The Different Blood Types

There are four major blood groups and eight different blood types. Doctors call this the ABO Blood Group System.

The groups are based on whether or not you have two specific antigens -- A and B:

● Group A has the A antigen and B antibody.

● Group B has the B antigen and the A antibody.

● Group AB has A and B antigens but neither A nor B antibodies.

● Group O doesn't have A or B antigens but has both A and B antibodies.

There's also a third kind of antigen called the Rh factor. You either have this antigen (meaning your blood type is "Rh+" or "positive"), or you don't (meaning your blood type is "Rh-" or "negative"). So, from the four blood groups, there are eight blood types:

● A positive or A negative

● B positive or B negative

● AB positive or AB negative

● O positive or O negative

Why Does Blood Type Matter?

Blood groups were discovered in 1901 by an Austrian scientist named Karl Landsteiner. Before that, doctors thought all blood was the same, so many people were dying from blood transfusions.

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Now experts know that if you mix blood from two people with different blood types, the blood can clump, which may be fatal. That's because the person receiving the transfusion has antibodies that will actually fight the cells of the donor blood, causing a toxic reaction.

In order for a blood transfusion to be safe and effective, it's important for the donor and the recipient to have blood types that go together. People with blood group A can safely get group A blood, and people with blood group B can receive group B blood.

It's best when a donor and recipient are an exact match and their blood goes through a process called crossmatching. But the donor doesn't always need to have the exact same type of blood as the person receiving it. Their types just have to be compatible.

Which Blood Types Are the Best to Donate?

Type O negative red blood cells are considered the safest to give to anyone in a life-threatening emergency or when there's a limited supply of the exact matching blood type.

People with O negative blood were once called "universal" red cell donors because it was thought they could donate blood to anyone with any blood type. But now experts know there can even be risks with this type of blood.

Does the Blood Type Diet Really Work?

Over the past decade, there have been many claims about a so-called " blood type diet," in which you eat specific foods for your blood type in order to lower your risk of certain diseases and improve your overall health. But a 2013 scientific review found there's no evidence that eating for your blood type makes you any healthier.

Sources

SOURCES:

NobelPrize.org: "What is a blood type?"

American Red Cross: "Blood Types," "Blood Facts and Statistics."

Mayo Clinic: "Blood Transfusion."

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Blood type diets lack supporting evidence: a systematic review."

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While everyone's blood is made up of the same basic parts, there's actually a lot of variety in the kinds of blood that exist. There are eight different blood types, and the type you have is determined by genes you inherit from your parents. Most people have about 4-6 liters of blood.

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Tissue typing is a procedure in which uses the tissues of a prospective donor and recipient are tested for compatibility prior to a tissue transplant.

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Tissue typing is a procedure in which the tissues of a prospective donor and recipient are tested for compatibility prior to transplantation. An embryo can be tissue typed to ensure that the embryo implanted can be a cord-blood stem cell donor for a sick sibling.