Blood Types Problem Set

Problem 2: Possible blood types of offspring.

Help to answer the question

What if the mother is type O+ and the father is A-? What would the offspring's blood type be? --Mark

Tutorial

Inheritance
Both the ABO blood type alleles and the Rh factor genetic information are inherited from our parents, but they are inherited seperately.

Blood types
The mother of the child is blood type 0. We know that she is homozygous. The father could be homozygous with two alleles of type A or he may be heterozygous with one allele of type A and one allele of type O. If the father is heterozygous, there is a 50% probability for a blood type A child and a 50% probability for a blood type O child. If the father is homozygous, every offspring will be blood type A.
Mother's
Possible
Genotype
Father's
Possible
Genotypes
Child's
Possible
Genotypes
OO AA AO
OO AO AO, OO

Rh factor
The mother of the child is Rh+. She may be homozyous or she may be heterozygous with one Rh+ allele and one Rh- allele. If the mother is heterozygous, because the father is Rh-, there is a 50% probability for an Rh+ child and a 50% probability for an Rh- child. If the mother is homozygous, every offspring will be Rh+.

Mother's
Possible
Rh factor
Father's
Possible
Rh factor
Child's
Possible
Rh factor
Rh+Rh+ Rh-Rh- Rh+Rh-, Rh+Rh-
Rh+Rh- Rh-Rh- Rh+Rh-, Rh-Rh-


The Biology Project
University of Arizona
Thursday, October 23, 1997
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