Alloantigens and Their Role in Immune Cytopenias

Abstract

Immune cytopenia is a reduction in the number of mature blood cells. This can be caused by alloantigens present on the surface of blood cells i.e. red blood cells or erthyrocytes, white blood cells or leucocytes and platelets or thromobocytes. Alloantigens stimulate the immune system of host against foreign antigens causing alloimmunization and subsequent production of alloantibodies which caused decreased survival of blood cells in vivo. This chapter focuses on red blood cell antigens, human platelet antigens, human neutrophil antigens and human leucocyte antigens and their role in immune cytopenias.