A person with AB blood group is sometimes called a universal recipient because of the

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Q: 120 (IAS/1995)
A person with ‘AB’ blood group is sometimes called a universal recipient because of the

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,53,81,32,53,17,32

keywords: 

{'blood group': [2, 2, 0, 1], 'antigen': [2, 1, 2, 0], 'antibodies': [4, 0, 1, 1], 'antigens': [1, 1, 0, 1], 'blood': [5, 0, 0, 1], 'universal recipient': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'ab': [0, 0, 1, 0]}

Option 1 is incorrect because AB blood group individuals do have antigens, both A and B.

Option 2 is the correct answer. Individuals with AB blood type can receive blood from any group (A, B, AB or O) due to the absence of antibodies that would fight against foreign blood cells, hence the term "universal recipients".

Option 3 is incorrect because AB blood group individuals do have antigens - they have both A and B antigens.

Option 4 is incorrect too. Having the presence of antibodies in the blood means the individual`s immune system could react by trying to destroy the foreign blood type if the person was given a blood transfusion that was incompatible. Since an AB blood type person does not have these antibodies, they can receive any blood group without this reaction.

In essence, people with the AB blood type are universal recipients because they lack antibodies in their blood against A, B antigens which allows them to accept all blood types.

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