3.8 Blood Plasma Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four fluid compartments and their relative proportions?

A

Intracellular 55%
Interstitial 36%
Blood plasma 7%
Transcellular 2%

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2
Q

What is the most abundant protein in the blood?

A

Serum albumin

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3
Q

Why does albumin have the biggest peak and is closest to the left side in plasma electrophoresis?

A

Largest therefore closest to cathode

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4
Q

What ion has the highest concentration in plasma?

A

Na+

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5
Q

What ion has the highest concentration in blood cells?

A

K+

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6
Q

What is the alpha 1 globulin?

A

alpha-1 antitrypsin

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7
Q

What does alpha 1 globulin do?

A

Protease inhibitor

Protects lungs against degradation and loss of elasticity by neutrophil elastase released during inflammation

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8
Q

What are the alpha 2 globulins?

A

Alpha-2 macroglobulin and haptoglobin

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9
Q

What does alpha-2 macroglobulin do?

A

Inactivates fibrinolysis by inhibiting plasmin

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10
Q

What does haptoglobin do?

A

Binds to haemoglobin released from RBCs

This forms haemoglobin-haptoglobin complexes which are removed by the spleen

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11
Q

What is haptoglobin measurement used in?

A

Diagnosis of haemolytic anaemia

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12
Q

What are beta globulins?

A

Complement proteins and transferrin

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13
Q

What are gamma globulins?

A

Immunoglobulins (antibodies)

Acute phase C reactive proteins (released during inflammation)

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14
Q

What is plasma?

A

The liquid component of blood

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15
Q

What is serum?

A

The blood plasma minus the clotting factors

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16
Q

What is the buffy coat?

A

Leukocytes and platelets

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17
Q

How is serum collected?

A

Blood is taken without an anticoagulant, allowed to clot then centrifuged

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18
Q

What do serum separator tubes have which induce clotting?

A

Silica coating

19
Q

How is the serum separated from the rest of the cells?

A

Serum separator tubes have a layer of gel which forms a physical barrier between the serum and the cells

20
Q

What is the advantage of collecting plasma over serum?

A

Plasma is collected more easily

21
Q

What are the functions of plasma? MOCIEE

A

Metabolism
Osmotic balance maintenance
Clotting
Immune defense
Excretion
Endocrine

22
Q

How is plasma involved in excretion?

A

Cell metabolism waste products such as urea are transported via the plasma to the kidneys for removal

23
Q

How is plasma involved in endocrine functions?

A

Many hormones are water soluble

Following release, they travel to their target organs via blood plasma

24
Q

What protein helps to maintain colloid osmotic pressure?

A

Serum albumin

25
What are the key functions of serum albumin?
Transport of lipids, hormones, ions Maintain osmotic pressure of plasma Transport FAs released from adipose tissue for beta oxidation
26
How does albumin get involved with beta oxidation?
Fatty acids released by lipolysis from the breakdown of triglycerides in adipose tissue are transported by albumin for use by tissues in 𝛃-oxidation
27
More than one third of the ATP consumed during rest is used to do what?
Power the Na+/K+ ATPase
28
What happens to the shape of the cells when ATP levels depleted?
They become more spherical because of the **inwards movement of sodium ions and water**
29
How can plasma be used in passive immunotherapy?
Immunoglobulins found in the **gamma globulin fraction** can be used to transfer immunity between people
30
What is IVIG?
Intravenous immunoglobulin – allows for the introduction of relatively large amounts of IgG Protects against common pathogens e.g. MMR
31
How are the IgG obtained from patients?
Screened for high levels of IgG against a pathogen using ELISA IgG fraction is isolated from plasma of donors and concentrated
32
What is convalescent plasma?
Plasma of patients who have recovered from different diseases like COVID19
33
How can convalescent plasma be used to treat patient with COVID19?
1. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, **develop antibodies** against the virus 2. After the patient has recovered (convalesced), blood is donated to produce obtain **antibody-rich plasma** 3. The plasma is tested for strength (affinity) and number of antibodies. 4. If these levels are fine, the plasma is given to a patient infected with COVID-19.
34
What is the main difference between p​lasma and interstitial fluid?
Plasma contains much more protein
35
How is the positive charge of intracellular K balanced?
Extracellular Cl- ions Intracellular anions (proteins, nucleic acids, phosphorylated proteins)
36
What is intracellular Mg important for?
Cofactor for many enzymes
37
What are calcium levels like in cells and what are increases in intracellular Ca associated with?
Lower than plasma Thus increase in intracellular Ca is associated with **signalling event** (opening of Ca channels)
38
What is apheresis?
Donor's blood is passed through centrifuge to separate a component, then the remainder is returned to the donor
39
What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **plasma exchange**?
Multiple sclerosis, myeloma
40
What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **red cell exchange**?
Sickle cell
41
What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **LDL removal**?
Atherosclerosis
42
What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **white blood cell removal**?
Leukaemia
43
What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **platelet depletion**?
Disorders of homeostasis