Which statement about enzymes used in blood bank procedures is accurate?

• A. All enzymes used in blood bank are not recognized
• B. Enzymes are only used for ABO typing
• C. Ficin, trypsin, and bromelin are commonly used enzymes
• D. Enzymes are never used in red blood cell testing

Answer: (C)

Enzyme treatment in blood banking is about modifying red cell surface antigens with proteolytic enzymes to alter antibody reactions during serologic testing. Ficin (from fig), trypsin, and bromelin (pineapple enzyme) are commonly used for this purpose, often alongside papain. By changing the expression of certain antigen sites, these enzymes can enhance some antibody reactions while destroying others, which helps in antibody screening and identification and can aid antigen typing. The statement that these enzymes are commonly used is accurate because these reagents are standard tools in many immunohematology workflows. In contrast, enzymes are indeed used in red cell testing (not restricted to ABO typing only), and they are well-characterized reagents, so the other options don’t fit.