Karl Landsteiner (1868 - 1943)
Austrian chemist Karl Landsteiner discovered what he called
the ABC human blood type system in 1900, which led
to the first successful blood transfusions between
persons of identical blood type in 1907. He also
participated in discovery of the Poliomyelitis virus
in 1909, and after he moved to the United States discovered
the MN and P blood type systems. For this
work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in
1930.
The ABC system was renamed the ABO system, and was demonstrated in 1911 to be inherited as a three-allele system, with the A and B alleles co-dominant, and each dominant to O. As the O allele produces no surface antigens, persons with Type O blood are "universal donors".
The ABC system was renamed the ABO system, and was demonstrated in 1911 to be inherited as a three-allele system, with the A and B alleles co-dominant, and each dominant to O. As the O allele produces no surface antigens, persons with Type O blood are "universal donors".