Blood type represent contributions from both parents. A total of 36 human blood group systems and 346 antigens are now recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). The two most important ones are ABO and the Rh blood group systems; they determine someone's blood type (A, B, AB and O, with +, − or null denoting RhD status) for suitability in blood transfusion. A complete blood type would describe a full set of 30 substances on the surface of red blood cells, and an individual's blood type is one of many possible combinations of blood-group antigens. Across the 36 blood
ABO blood group system and likely predates human migration from Africa. The O01 allele is considered to predate the O02 allele. Some evolutionary biologists theorize that there are four main lineages of the ABO gene and that mutations creating type O have occurred at least three times in humans. From oldest to youngest, these lineages comprise the following alleles: "A101/A201/O09", "B101", "O02" and "O01". The continued presence of the O alleles is hypothesized to be the result of balancing selection. Both theories contradict the previously held theory that type O blood evolved first. It is possible that food and environmental antigens (bacterial, viral, or