Rh null individuals have no Rh antigens (no Rh or RhAG) on their red blood cells. As a consequence of the absence of Rh antigens, Rh null red blood cells also lack LW and Fy5 and show weak expression of S, s, and U antigens.
Red blood cells lacking Rh/RhAG proteins have structural abnormalities (such as stomatocytosis) which can result in hemolytic anemia.
Rhnull blood was first described in 1961, in an Aboriginal Australian woman. Until then, doctors had assumed that an embryo missing all Rh blood-cell antigens would not survive, let alone grow into a normal, thriving adult. By 2010, nearly five decades later, some 43 people with Rhnull blood had been reported worldwide.
Researchers seeking to unravel the mysteries of the physiological role of the intriguingly complex Rh system are keen to get hold of Rhnull blood, as it offers the perfect “knockout” system. Rare negative blood is so sought after for research that even though all samples stored in blood banks are anonymized, there have been cases where scientists have tried to track down and approach individual donors directly to ask for blood.
And because Rhnull blood can be considered “universal” blood for anyone with rare blood types within the Rh system, its life-saving capability is enormous. As such, it’s also highly prized by doctors—although it will be given to patients only in extreme circumstances, and after very careful consideration, because it may be nigh on impossible to replace. “It’s the golden blood,” says Dr. Thierry Peyrard, the current Director of the National Immunohematology Reference Laboratory in Paris.
Blood groups are inherited, and Rhnull is known to run in families.
Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/10/the-most-precious-blood-on-earth/381911/
See also:
WHAT IS THE RH DEFICIENCY SYNDROME?
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I find incredible and have a friend at work along with his neice that have rhnull blood, amazing information
Hey, Is there anyway to contact them? A good friend of mine needs that type of blood fast.
My mother is 0+, yet her mother was rh-. My father is rh-. My 3 siblings are all rh+, I am rh- with no antigens in my blood at all. What is this called.
I believe you would have been referred to as “O negative/d positive (lower case d)” in the 1970’s. In other words, a weak Rh+. I am truly rusty at blood banking (having spent most of my career in Microbiology).
The “no antigens in me blood at all” has me baffled. Maybe the article’s author will comment.
I used to work in Champaign IL in the 1980’s. One of my co-workers had grown children who were Rh-null, and used to get phone calls at all hours of the night/day to go donate blood. In their infinite wisdom, the Red Cross closed most blood processing centers, in order to only have a handful do the testing. That’s what happens when an organization gets a CEO who knows nothing about the business. (Thanks Elizabeth Dole).
The Champaign County Blood Bank has likely closed or changed hands. Since it’s 3 years later, probably not relevant information anymore.
Can Rhnull blood type donate to a Bombay type?
Only if the H antigen (not part of the Rh antigen system) is absent as well.
How do I add my picture to this site and join this group. O rh negative here.
Do Rhnull people know they are Rhnull?
I found out I was O neg Rh neg when I was pregnant with my first child in 94.
She is B-
I had my second child in 2016.
She is A+
I had the shots both times at 26 weeks and post partum
This last time my doctor gave me the whole pamphlet insert that showed what all they had tested my blood for
If I recall correctly they tested for big D small d and a whole bunch of other letters and everything was negative.
I have felt a medical guinea pig at times but definitely my 4 yr old they want to study BAD !
I have never donated blood or plasma.
But I used to get calls ALL THE TIME from the Red Cross HQ but it was for the person who used to have my phone number. (Sure 😉😉😉)
I did an at home eldon card test and i may as well have just used water to the 4 dots for blood groups.
It is super weird this Rh negative stuff.
If I am Rhnull…I’d like to know for sure.
I can’t seem to find an answer on Google.
Your explanation is the best I have come across
seems like donating blood is one way to find out, but i’d ask them to make sure if they do that thorough a test. fwiw: have you done any searches on this site? anyway – six sections down from the top of the page, on the right side, is an area/box for searching Mike’s articles. i searched for “rhnull” and got these results: https://www.rhesusnegative.net/staynegative/?s=rhnull … i think i may be Rhnull also. i’m just sooo different, but this is also a very uncommon trait. i wonder if scarring is related to this state. i noticed James Harrison (pictured here: https://www.rhesusnegative.net/staynegative/1-in-6-million-people-in-this-world-are-rhnull/) his scarring marks on his left arm.
or maybe it’s best to say the search box is just above the “Rh Negative Voices:” / posts section on the right-side of this page. also: i should’ve typed “has scarring on his left arm”.
but, since i don’t have hemolytic anemia and/or other traits which seems to be relatively common to some degree w/ Rhnull people according to the study Mike quoted here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6305262/ … i now think it’s likely i’m not Rhnull. i’m still quite odd regardless.
Is RH Null the same as O-?
No
I was the first known Rh Null type A found following the Astrailian Aboriginal woman in 1961. I am referred to as MS. M. In the text books. Since then I have donated for heart and liver transplants and to save newborns. I feel strongly that a cure for Lukemia can be found in studying Rh Null blood. Can’t get a doctor to even consider such a thing.
is your blood type Rh negative or Rh null.?
Honestly I feel the cure for many things can be found in 0 negative blood also. I was a nurse and studies about this by regular dr. Are just about none.I mention my health problems I know are connected th being rh negative. Just by the fact that others are having them also and its not considered. Darladrury76@gmail.com
It is rather comical the response of doctors in regards to the negative blood type. lol I could tell you stories. Is it they fear? lol I dont know. They have asked me what has your family told you about your blood type history. ahh are you serious? was my response. yeah I thought my eyebrows were gonna go off the back of my head. Its because your part Dogon.. lol Yep Also I am like so scandinavian its amazing like 97 percent. Yet my relatives were Hebrew and Dogon. Life is amazing and some people fear what they do not understand. Study the Dogon. Seriously… Study them seriously!!
Has the 43 people found with rh hull blood type restricted to Australoid classification of race, or have they found this type among Caucasoid, Negroid, Mongoloid, , or Capoid?
The latest was found in Pakistan. The Aboriginal one is confusing as most studies of Aboriginal populations show no rh negatives among them. What would be the chances of showing all markers from the rh blood group system to be negative in one? Maybe this person was mixed with Irish/Scottish. And even then, the chances would be unbelievably small.
Iran as well. Yamnaya ancestry comes to mind:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6305262/