by Joe Chaffin | Feb 21, 2016
Glossary ADAMTS13 Abbreviation for an enzyme responsible for the cleavage of von Willebrand Factor (vWF), important in the pathophysiology of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP). The actual enzyme name (are you ready for this?) is “A Disintegrin And...
by Joe Chaffin | Feb 21, 2016
Glossary Alexander Wiener Dr. Alexander Wiener, a U.S. physician in Brooklyn, NY, was one of the most prominent early researchers in transfusion medicine. He is best known for his work in the Rh blood system, where he and Dr. Karl Landsteiner (already famous for his...
by Joe Chaffin | Mar 7, 2016
Glossary Autoantibody An antibody that targets antigens present on the patient or donors’ own red blood cells (in contrast to alloantibodies, which target non-self red cell antigens). Autoantibodies are fairly common in hospitalized patients, but are not usually...
by Joe Chaffin | Mar 8, 2016
Glossary Blood Assurance Program A system that allows blood donors and the groups with which they are associated to receive discounts, refunds, or waived fees if they ever need to receive blood. These are also sometimes called “Blood Credit Programs.”...
by Joe Chaffin | Mar 8, 2016
Glossary CD38 A membrane protein involved in mobilizing intracellular calcium, expressed on many cells (most prominently plasma cells, but also weakly on RBCs). In blood banking, CD38 is important because of the multiple myeloma drug daratumumab (DARA), approved in...
