Bone Marrow Typing

What is bone marrow typing?
Bone marrow typing is the processs of identifying the HLA - human leukocyte antigen - markers on blood cells. During the typing process, proteins on blood cells are analyzed. To obtain the tissue samples for analysis, a blood draw is taken from the patient and the potential donors.

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) test, also known as HLA typing or tissue typing, identifies antigens on the white blood cells (WBCs) that determine tissue compatibility for organ transplantation (that is, histocompatibility testing). There are six loci on chromosome 6, where the genes that produce HLA antigens are inherited: HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DR, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DP.

Currently, medical teams seek to match 4 of the 6 markers: Class 1 A, B and C, along with Class 2 DR loci. DQ matching is preferable, but not mandatory. DP matching is beneficial, but also not required.


Unlike most blood group antigens, which are inherited as products of two alleles (types of gene that occupy the same site on a chromosome), many different alleles can be inherited at each of the HLA loci. These are defined by antibodies (antisera) that recognize specific HLA antigens, or by DNA probes that recognize the HLA allele. Using specific antibodies, 26 HLA-A alleles, 59 HLA-B alleles, 10 HLA-C alleles, 26 HLA-D alleles, 22 HLA-DR alleles, nine HLA-DQ alleles, and six HLA-DP alleles can be recognized. This high degree of genetic variability (polymorphism) makes finding compatible organs more difficult than finding compatible blood for transfusion.

Read more: http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/Fi-La/Human-Leukocyte-Antigen-Test.html#ixzz0TyvXKnQG

Private Typing
If you wish to register to donate to any matched recipient, then the national registry is the route to go to begin typing your tissue. If however, you wish to be tested for a match to a particular donor, then the following source should be used:

https://www.bonemarrowtest.com/pricingandkitordering.htm