Beatrix Potter, Life Scientist

Lutz 3

Carol Ann Lutz

(teacher)

Life Science

2 February 2013

Karl Landsteiner and Blood Groups

Figure 1. Karl Landsteiner at http://www.jewornotjew.com/img/people/k/karl_landsteiner.jpg

Some say that Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943) was such a dedicated researcher that he died in the lab with a pipette in his hand. This may not be true, but it is known that Landsteiner earned a living doing other jobs while he pursued a career in research. For example, he worked in labs analyzing urine and blood, and he also performed over 3,000 autopies. In his personal time, though, he continued his own research. Some say that he was so focused on his work that he had little time for friends. Landsteiner moved to the United States in his fifties to take a research position at the Rockefeller Institute. By the end of his career, hard-working Landsteiner had published 346 medical papers, many of them collaborations with other scientists. More importantly, he made discoveries about blood that have since saved countless lives.

Doing surgery with blood transfusions used to be a risky business that resulted in death when one person’s blood caused another person’s blood to clump. Landsteiner changed all that in 1901 when he suggested that differences in blood are not caused by disease, as was thought at the time, but occur naturally as a matter of individual difference. Landsteiner identified four types of blood—A, B, O and AB. People with type O are universal donors, meaning that they can give red blood cells to anybody. People with type AB blood are universal recipients, meaning that they can only donate to other ABs, but can receive blood from any other blood type. Figure 1 shows ways in which people can safely donate or receive blood from others. Being able to identify these differences among people enabled doctors to give safe transfusions during World War I for operations on hearts, lungs, and circulatory systems. This discovery also paved the way for successful blood banks and transplants. In addition, when lawyers learned that blood type is inherited, they began using it as admissible evidence to prove cases of paternity (first case, 1927).

Figure 2. Blood matching at http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-types

Landsteiner discovered something else about blood that has saved many lives. Back in his day, about 1 in every 200 Caucasian babies died. Landsteiner identified the reason for this, calling it the rH factor. People can be positive or negative for this factor. If Mom is negative and Dad is positive, the baby might be positive. In this case, Mom’s body treats the baby like an invader and starts producing antibodies that can damage the baby’s blood and brain.

Thanks to Landsteiner’s discovery of the rH factor, women can now be tested for this before they get pregnant, and treatment is possible.

In his long research career, Landsteiner also studied allergies and discovered the virus that causes polio. He is best remembered, however, for his work with blood. Landsteiner won the Nobel Prize in 1930 for his discovery of blood groups. In spite of this public notice, Landsteiner preferred a simple private life with his wife and son out of the public eye. Luckily for all of us with blood running in our veins, though, Landsteiner’s work became very public. Landsteiner’s discoveries were foundational to many medical improvements that benefit all of us at one time or another in our lives.

WORKS CITED

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/redgold/innovators/bio_landsteiner2.html

http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/2794.html

http://www.scienceheroes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=128&Itemid=137

http://www.answers.com/topic/karl-landsteiner

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/rhfactor/a/Rh-Factor-in-Pregnancy.htm