MN Blood Group system in Humans

    The MN blood group system is under the control of an autosomal locus found on chromosome 4, with two alleles designated L^M and L^N. The blood-type is due to a glycoprotein present on the surface of red blood cells, which behaves as a native antigen. Phenotypic expression at this locus is co-dominant because an individual may exhibit either one or both antigenic substances. Frequencies of the two alleles vary widely among human populations: note variation in the data above by continent of origin. Note also that although Australian Koori differ markedly from Arctic Inuit, the latter are similar to southwestern Diné (Navajo). Both of the later are North American Indigenous peoples.

    Carr (2021) describes additional MN data from various populations in the Philippine Islands, based on the original presentation by Arcellana et al. (2011).

    NB: Human population genetic data were formerly collected with less appreciation for ethnic identities and differentiation than is standard nowadays. Blood group frequency data are often taken from hospital records, which may or may not include place or group of origin. For example, in the table above, the "Nigerian" data might come from any of the three major ethnic groups (Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba) or a combination of these and others. "Chinese" likely means the predominant Han ethnicity, but may not. "Anglo-Americans" in the original source were labelled "White", and are likely a highly admixed combination of Northern European ancestry. As data for a mathematical exercise, the numbers are useful. For inferences about human evolution and diversity, a more nuanced approach is necessary.