Molecular biology of red cell blood group genes

The explosion of new information and technology for probing the fine architecture of gene structure has already brought new insights into the varied phenotypic expression of red cell blood group antigens. Molecular biologic techniques will be increasingly applied to red cell antigens as well as blood group antigens on other blood cells. Not since the introduction of the Coombs reagent has such a powerful method been available with which to increase our understanding of the nature of blood cell antigens.