title: Review of studies of polymorphic blood systems in the Aymara indigenous population from Bolivia, Peru, and Chile.
abstract: A review was made of all studies available from the literature referring to polymorphic blood systems of South American Aymara Indians. 33 original papers published up to 1990 covering a period of 45 years were summarized. Aymara samples were considered from a total of 55 localities in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. Gene frequencies were tabulated for 21 polymorphic genetic systems comprising blood groups (AB0, MNSs, P, Rh, Lu, K, Le, Fy, Jk, Di), erythrocyte enzyme groups (AcP, 6PGD, PGM1, AK, ADA, EsD), and plasma protein groups (Hp, Tf, Gc, Gm, Km). Weighted average and range over all Aymara samples were computed for each blood system and compared with corresponding mean value and range in South Amerindians in general. Gene frequency distribution in the Aymara population shows ranges of different orders of magnitude in the 21 blood systems, some of them varying widely. Nevertheless the average gene frequencies for the Aymara are well within the range of values reported for South American Indian populations. The assessment of blood systems in the Aymara revealed that information concerning the Lutheran and HLA systems is scarce or nil up to now. Further studies are needed, especially from Peru on erythrocyte enzyme systems, in order to obtain a more complete picture on the variation of blood system polymorphisms in the Aymara population.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Anthropologie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dittmar
mesh_terms: D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D001838:Bolivia; D002677:Chile; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000235:genetics*; D010568:Peru; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens