2. Terms Related to Blood Specimens

Question 1

What divalent ion is critical for the formation of clotted blood?

Answer 1

Ca++

Question 2

a. clotted blood specimen
b. plasma
c. serum
d. hemolyzed specimen
e. lipemic specimen
f. jaundice specimen
g. anticoagulant
h. clot retraction
i. whole blood

chemical which prevents blood from clotting

often comes from patients with hepatitis

supernatant from a clotted specimen

is usually caused by faulty blood collection techniques

sometimes avoided by collecting a fasting specimen

results from the cross linking of fibrin strands

blood to which no additives have been added

supernatant from an anticoagulated specimen

a blood specimen in which all the cellular elements are present

Answer 2

g. anticoagulant
f. jaundice specimen
c. serum
d. hemolyzed specimen
e. lipemic specimen
h. clot retraction
a. clotted blood specimen
b. plasma
i. whole blood

Question 3

Anticoagulants usually prevent coagulation by complexing calcium. Which anticoagulant is the exception to this rule?

Answer 3

heparin

Question 4

A plasma specimen contains two constituents not found in a serum specimen. List them

Answer 4

an anticoagulant, fibrinogen (used up in the clotting process)

Question 5

List the three lab departments which most often use serum specimens.

Answer 5

chemistry, immunology, serology

Question 6

List the two lab departments which use plasma specimens.

Answer 6

coagulation, chemistry

Question 7

List the lab department which always uses whole blood.

Answer 7

Hematology

Question 8

If a clotted specimen and an anticoagulated specimen are mixed, which becomes completely homogenous?

Answer 8

The anticoagulated specimen.