We determine the type of tissue via HLA typing through a blood test. This is a type of unique barcode on your cells, on the basis of which your cells can distinguish foreign cells from their own cells. There are many different types of tissue, characterized by special body identification substances the so-called HLA system. When a donor cannot donate as a result of the blood type, this is called blood type incompatibility (non-matching blood types). In a diagram the blood type (in)compatibility looks as follows.īlood types A and O are the most common blood types in Europe. When he/she is the patient, he/she can receive from a donor with blood type B or O. When he/she is the patient, he/she can receive from a donor with blood type A or O.Ī donor with blood type B can donate to a recipient with blood type B and AB. When a patient with blood type AB requires an organ him/herself, he/she can receive from the blood types A, B, AB and O.Ī donor with blood type A can donate to a recipient with blood type A and AB. This donor can only donate to a patient with blood type AB.
When a patient with blood type O needs an organ him/herself, he/she can only receive from a donor with blood type O.Ī donor with blood typ AB is called 'the universal recipient'.
This donor can donate to a patient with blood type A, B, AB and O. For a donation the blood types do not have to be the same, but they have to be able to tolerate each other, for which special rules apply.Ī donor with blood type O is called 'the universal donor'. There are several blood types: A, B, AB and O.