by Joe Chaffin | Mar 11, 2016
Glossary Directed Donation A “directed” blood donation occurs when a patient gets the opportunity to choose their blood donor! In general, a physician requests in writing that a particular person or persons donate blood specifically for a particular...
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 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...
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 | 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...
