Yes, golden blood, or Rh-null blood, is exceptionally rare.
Understanding Golden Blood
Golden blood, officially known as Rh-null blood, is one of the rarest blood types globally. Its rarity stems from the complete absence of all Rh antigens on the surface of red blood cells. This is in contrast to Rh-negative blood, which simply lacks some of these antigens. The absence of all Rh antigens makes Rh-null blood incredibly valuable for transfusions, but also extremely difficult to find.
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Extreme Rarity: Fewer than 50 individuals worldwide are known to possess this blood type. [Reference: One of the world's rarest blood types is Rh- null. It is called the "golden blood". This blood type is distinct from Rh-negative since it has none of the Rh antigens at all. There are less than 50 people in the world population who have this blood type.]
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Universal Donor Potential (with caveats): While often referred to as a "universal donor," Rh-null blood should only be used in emergency situations due to its extreme scarcity and the potential risks associated with its use.
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High Value, Limited Supply: The extremely limited number of individuals with this blood type makes it incredibly valuable in medical emergencies but also necessitates careful management and conservation of this precious resource.
Why is it so rare?
The rarity of Rh-null blood is due to the complex genetic inheritance of Rh antigens. The absence of all these antigens is a very uncommon genetic occurrence.
