Question

Credit for discovering Rh blood antigen is given to

• A. Rhesus Macaque
• B. Karl Landsteiner
• C. Paul Ehrlich
• D. Peter Doherty

Hint:

Karl Landsteiner is highly celebrated in hematology:
- Discovered the major ABO blood groups (for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1930).
- Co-discovered the Rh blood factor in 1940.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Rhesus (Rh) factor is an essential protein antigen located on the outer surface of red blood cells.
Its presence or absence determines whether a blood type is classified as positive (\(\text{Rh}^+\)) or negative (\(\text{Rh}^-\)).

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. The Rh blood group antigen was discovered in 1940.
2. The discovery is credited to the Austrian immunologist Karl Landsteiner and his colleague Alexander S. Wiener.
3. They discovered this antigen during their immunization experiments on the blood of the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta), which is why it was named the "Rhesus" (Rh) factor.
Rhesus Macaque is the animal source, Paul Ehrlich is known for his work in side-chain receptor theory and syphilis treatment, and Peter Doherty discovered how the immune system recognizes virus-infected cells.
Therefore, Karl Landsteiner is credited with the discovery.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is 2, which corresponds to Karl Landsteiner.