Abstract
Summary
Three varieties of anti-Rh agglutinins have been encountered, designated as anti-Rh (standard), anti-Rh1, and anti-Rh2, and agglutinating, respectively, approximately 85%, 70%, and 35% of bloods from white individuals in New York City. Human sera containing agglutinins anti-Rh and anti-Rh1 together are designated anti-Rh' sera containing the two agglutinins anti-Rh and anti-Rh2 are designated anti-Rh”. By means of the 3 sorts of Rh agglutinins, 5 varieties of Rh agglutinogens are demonstrable, designated as Rh1, Rh2, Rh, Rh′, and Rh”. These in combination give rise to 8 Rh blood types (including the Rh-negative type), of which all but one, the rarest, have actually been encountered. A theory to explain the heredity of the Rh blood types is proposed in which the existence of 6 allelic genes is postulated. Evidence in support of the theory is presented and some of the implications of the theory are mentioned.
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