The grouping of blood is based on substances called

The red blood corpuscles or erythrocytes usually carry antigens and there are two types of antigens. The A group persons have antigen A in their red corpuscles and the B group have antigen B in their red corpuscles. The AB group person have both antigen A and antigen B in their erythrocytes. The 'O' group persons have no antigens in their red corpuscles.