What does being a secretor mean in ABO testing?

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Multiple Choice

What does being a secretor mean in ABO testing?

Being a secretor means that ABO antigens are present and secreted into body fluids such as saliva, sweat, and urine. This occurs because the Se gene product in secretory tissues adds fucose to form H antigen and, with the A or B transferases, produces A or B antigens in secretions. In ABO testing, secretors can show ABH antigens in fluids that mirror their blood group, which helps in serologic typing and investigative testing. Nonsecretors, by contrast, do not reveal ABH antigens in secretions, even though their red cells still carry ABO antigens. So secretor status directly relates to the presence of ABO antigens in body fluids. The other options incorrectly state a lack of antigens, a restriction to only H antigen, or irrelevance to ABO testing.

Being a secretor means that ABO antigens are present and secreted into body fluids such as saliva, sweat, and urine. This occurs because the Se gene product in secretory tissues adds fucose to form H antigen and, with the A or B transferases, produces A or B antigens in secretions. In ABO testing, secretors can show ABH antigens in fluids that mirror their blood group, which helps in serologic typing and investigative testing. Nonsecretors, by contrast, do not reveal ABH antigens in secretions, even though their red cells still carry ABO antigens. So secretor status directly relates to the presence of ABO antigens in body fluids. The other options incorrectly state a lack of antigens, a restriction to only H antigen, or irrelevance to ABO testing.

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