Final answer:
An individual with type O blood can only receive type O blood due to the presence of both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, which restricts their compatibility to only their blood type.
Step-by-step explanation:
An individual with type O blood can receive only type O blood. Type O blood contains both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, making individuals with this blood type restricted to receiving only type O blood in transfusions. While type O donors are considered universal donors because they can donate to any ABO blood type, they cannot receive from anyone but other type O donors.
People with type AB blood, in contrast, can receive blood from any ABO type because they have no anti-A or anti-B antibodies in their plasma, making them universal recipients. However, the reverse scenario for type O highlights the importance of careful blood typing and crossmatching in transfusions to prevent any transfusion reaction. Individuals with type A or B blood can only receive from donors of the same blood type or type O, as type O blood lacks A or B antigens on the red blood cells.