universal donor/recipient

universal donor/recipient

the ABO BLOOD GROUP compatibility between a donor and a recipient. Individuals with Group O have no A or B ANTIGENS and are therefore called universal donors because their blood type will not react with the recipient's and thus can be given to any other ABO type. Individuals who are Group AB, with no anti-A or anti-B ANTIBODIES, are universal recipients since they have no antibodies to react with any donated antigens. The terms do not apply to any other type of BLOOD GROUPING and, since these other groups are important in blood transfusion, the terms are rather misleading.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005