A study of immunogold‐labelled blood group A erythrocytes in the scanning electron microscope

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Abstract
This report presents binding patterns on A1, A2, A3, Ax and Ae1 erythrocytes of a monoclonal anti-A (A 003) antibody which reacts predominantly with difucosylated A oligosaccharides, visualized with colloidal gold particles in the backscattered electron imaging mode of a scanning electron microscope. A relative weak labelling was found on most A1 cells, while the labelling in subgroups A2, A3 and especially Ax appeared relatively stronger. Very few Ael cells were labeled. The results emphasize the qualitative uniqueness of A1 and suggest that many Ax cells have high proportions of difucosylated A oligosaccharides. Labelling variations were found between different A3 and Ax traits, and in all subgroups between cells and even between different parts of the cells. No immunolabelling differences were found in relation to secretor status.