Cell Membranes: Novel Discoveries in the Rh System
Program Code: 209-S
Sunday, October 16, 2005
8:30 AM to 10:00 AM (ET)

MODERATOR
Steven Spitalnik, MD, Columbia University

SPEAKERS
Kris Noel Dahl, PhD, Johns Hopkins University
Yves Colin, PhD, Inserm / INTS
Connie Westhoff, PHD, SBB, New York Blood Center

DESCRIPTION
The Rh blood group system encodes many clinically relevant blood group antigens important in the practice of transfusion medicine. Antibodies to these antigens cause hemolytic transfusion reactions, hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Cloning and sequencing the RhD and RhCE genes, along with several related genes, has led to many new insights regarding the polymorphisms that encode these human blood group antigens. Nonetheless, the function(s) of these gene products has remained enigmatic. Over the last two years, several investigators have made great progress in elucidating the functions of the Rh and Rh-related membrane proteins, the structures of these proteins, and the role(s) these proteins play in the organization of the red blood cell membranes. In this session, leading investigators in this field will present short lectures reviewing their recent results and p
ut them into context with regard to the structure and function of cell membranes.