Question

Where is typing usually performed?

Answer 1

In biology, typing is the act of detection and distinguishing the different types of antigens, types of cells, chemicals, proteins, etc. found in an organism. Thus, you can actually call them biochemical tests. The antigens are special proteins that are present on the surfaces of cells and viral particles, which help us to identify between self and non-self cells.

Complete answer:
Many of us must have come across instances, where we are experiencing certain diseases and for diagnosis of the disease, the doctor asks us to go through a laboratory test. Majority of these tests are serological blood tests. Thus, typing is usually performed on blood cells, since these samples are very easy to occur.
Moreover, the blood sample contains ‘everything’, starting blood RBCs to excretory products, since it is the major circulatory fluid of the body. So, antigen-based typing is performed on serological samples.
So, in a clinic, the pathologist takes blood through a needle from the forearm, usually from the artery and this blood sample serves as the principle of further testing.

Note:
There are several procedures to carry out this typing, i.e., the detection of the antigens. But the most relevant and noteworthy point is that each of these antigen binds to a specific type of antibody.
This is the base principle of typing. The antigens are treated with specific antibody preparations. And if the particular antigen is present in the sample, then the antigens will bind to it, and form altogether a clump or a complex, which can be viewed by utilizing special lab instruments.