The ISBT Blood Group Database: A digital resource for classifying blood groups in the genomic era

Blood group history began in 1900 when Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood group system [1], and more than a quarter of a century lapsed before the M, N and P blood group antigens were identified in 1927 [2].In subsequent decades, new blood group systems have been discovered in waves that parallel technological advances in serology, genetics, genomics and bioinformatics.Approximately one third of our 49 blood group systems have been registered since the turn of this century [3].