TIL Our blood types evolved millions of years apart
So Today I found out that the 4 main blood types all evolved millions of years apart.
There are 4 main blood types, Type A, B, AB and O
Each blood type is quite significantly different from the other. Firstly the reason these blood types are different is that each type has Antigens on each blood cell, and each cell creates different antibodies that attack other antigens from other blood cells.
For instance, Blood type A Cells, create anti bodies that attack the Antigens of Blood type B cells. Just the same as Blood type B cells create Antibodies that attack Blood type A cells. Below is a graph to make things easier to understand.
Those are just the 4 main blood cell groups, there is another well know addition which is the Rh or Rhesus macaques addition. This is what adds the Positive and Negative's to each cell type. What this means is that if you are Rh-positive this means you Rh antigens on your red blood cells, if you are Rh-negative you don't have Rh anti bodies on your cells and only create Rh Anti bodies which then attack the Rh Antigens.
But this is not the most interesting fact I learnt today
Each blood cell has appeared at different stages of History.
Lets start with the earliest of known blood cells.
Blood Type A
This blood cell has been documented to have been around before the human species evolved, our closest cousins the apes share this blood type with us.
Blood Type B
It is thought that Blood Type B evolved from some type of mutation around 3.5 million years ago when the sugar that sits on blood type A mutated into something different to create this new blood type
Blood Type O
About 2.5 Million years ago, A mutation happened that rendered the sugars on these blood types inactive creating blood type O
Blood Type AB
This is a mutation of Both AB Combined which has both Antigens on it without any antibodies
I hope you guys learnt something today like i did
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Source :
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140715-why-do-we-have-blood-types
http://www.pnas.org/content/109/45/18493
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-mystery-of-human-blood-types-86993838/
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/esp_ciencia_life24.htm
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5exzov/eli5_why_do_humans_have_different_blood_types_and/
Very good post. Thanks for the information.
only a pleasure, glad you liked it :)
I guess it makes sense that blood type mutated, but usually there is some reason behind evolution, isn't there? What changes around those periods of time may have prompted it? Hmm. Food for thought.
What blood type is filled with midochlorians?
Yeah good post that is very interesting good article.