Di^a, Js^a and V Blood Groups in South and South-East Asia

Abstract

THE red-cell antigens, Di^a and Js^a, are among those of special interest as genetic markers in human populations because they attain reasonable frequency in at least one of the major divisions of the human race, but are rare or entirely absent in all others. The Di^a blood-group factor is restricted to American Indians and Mongoloid populations¹ or those of mixed American Indian ancestry². The more recently discovered Js^a antigen has been detected so far only in the blood of Negroes or of those with the possibility of Negro ancestry³. A third blood-group, the Rh antigen V, also may be highly restricted, since it is found most commonly in the blood of Negroes, and only rarely in Caucasians, American Indians or Orientals⁴. The distribution of none of these three antigens, however, has been studied widely in Asiatic populations. We consider it worth while, therefore, to present the results of such a study.