blood group

Red blood cells from blood group O are the only type that can be used by all receiving patients regardless of ABO type.

Any possible donor must be aged between 18 and 50, and in blood group O. They can either be positive or negative.

Approximately 1% of the population has this blood group but it hasn't even been possible to detect it with the help of DNA techniques.

At the moment, there are only three units of the "Bombay" blood group - first identified in India - in stock across the whole of the UK.

By using DNA sequencing and gene-editing techniques, the researchers showed that Piezo1 is the carrier for these sites and established Er as a new blood group system.