Final answer:
Agglutination and hemolysis are the mechanisms of antibody action when red blood cells clump due to a transfusion of mismatched blood. Agglutination occurs when the antibodies bind to and clump the red blood cells, while hemolysis happens when the antibodies activate the complement cascade, leading to the destruction of the red blood cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
When red blood cells clump due to a transfusion of mismatched blood, two mechanisms of antibody action occur: agglutination and hemolysis. Agglutination happens when the antibodies bind to the transfused red blood cells, causing them to clump together. Hemolysis occurs when the antibodies activate the complement cascade, leading to the destruction of the red blood cells.
For example, if a person with type B blood receives a transfusion of type A blood, their anti-A antibodies will bind to and agglutinate the transfused red blood cells. Additionally, the activation of the classical complement cascade will result in a strong inflammatory response, leading to hemolysis of the red blood cells.
This process can have serious consequences, such as the occlusion of blood vessels in the lungs and kidneys, resulting in symptoms like fever, chills, hives, difficulty breathing, and low blood pressure.