3.8 Blood Plasma

Question 1

What are the four fluid compartments and their relative proportions?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is the most abundant protein in the blood?

Answer 2

Serum albumin

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Largest therefore closest to cathode

Question 4

What ion has the highest concentration in plasma?

Answer 4

Na+

Question 5

What ion has the highest concentration in blood cells?

Answer 5

K+

Question 6

What is the alpha 1 globulin?

Answer 6

alpha-1 antitrypsin

Question 7

What does alpha 1 globulin do?

Answer 7

Protease inhibitor

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

Question 8

What are the alpha 2 globulins?

Answer 8

Alpha-2 macroglobulin and haptoglobin

Question 9

What does alpha-2 macroglobulin do?

Answer 9

Inactivates fibrinolysis by inhibiting plasmin

Question 10

What does haptoglobin do?

Answer 10

Binds to haemoglobin released from RBCs

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

Question 11

What is haptoglobin measurement used in?

Answer 11

Diagnosis of haemolytic anaemia

Question 12

What are beta globulins?

Answer 12

Complement proteins and transferrin

Question 13

What are gamma globulins?

Answer 13

Immunoglobulins (antibodies)

Acute phase C reactive proteins (released during inflammation)

Question 14

What is plasma?

Answer 14

The liquid component of blood

Question 15

What is serum?

Answer 15

The blood plasma minus the clotting factors

Question 16

What is the buffy coat?

Answer 16

Leukocytes and platelets

Question 17

How is serum collected?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What do serum separator tubes have which induce clotting?

Answer 18

Silica coating

Question 19

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

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What is the advantage of collecting plasma over serum?

Answer 20

Plasma is collected more easily

Question 21

What are the functions of plasma? MOCIEE

Answer 21

Metabolism
Osmotic balance maintenance
Clotting
Immune defense
Excretion
Endocrine

Question 22

How is plasma involved in excretion?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

How is plasma involved in endocrine functions?

Answer 23

Many hormones are water soluble

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

Question 24

What protein helps to maintain colloid osmotic pressure?

Answer 24

Serum albumin

Question 25

What are the key functions of serum albumin?

Answer 25

Transport of lipids, hormones, ions Maintain osmotic pressure of plasma Transport FAs released from adipose tissue for beta oxidation

Question 26

How does albumin get involved with beta oxidation?

Answer 26

Fatty acids released by lipolysis from the breakdown of triglycerides in adipose tissue are transported by albumin for use by tissues in 𝛃-oxidation

Question 27

More than one third of the ATP consumed during rest is used to do what?

Answer 27

Power the Na+/K+ ATPase

Question 28

What happens to the shape of the cells when ATP levels depleted?

Answer 28

They become more spherical because of the **inwards movement of sodium ions and water**

Question 29

How can plasma be used in passive immunotherapy?

Answer 29

Immunoglobulins found in the **gamma globulin fraction** can be used to transfer immunity between people

Question 30

What is IVIG?

Answer 30

Intravenous immunoglobulin – allows for the introduction of relatively large amounts of IgG Protects against common pathogens e.g. MMR

Question 31

How are the IgG obtained from patients?

Answer 31

Screened for high levels of IgG against a pathogen using ELISA IgG fraction is isolated from plasma of donors and concentrated

Question 32

What is convalescent plasma?

Answer 32

Plasma of patients who have recovered from different diseases like COVID19

Question 33

How can convalescent plasma be used to treat patient with COVID19?

Answer 33

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.

Question 34

What is the main difference between p​lasma and interstitial fluid?

Answer 34

Plasma contains much more protein

Question 35

How is the positive charge of intracellular K balanced?

Answer 35

Extracellular Cl- ions Intracellular anions (proteins, nucleic acids, phosphorylated proteins)

Question 36

What is intracellular Mg important for?

Answer 36

Cofactor for many enzymes

Question 37

What are calcium levels like in cells and what are increases in intracellular Ca associated with?

Answer 37

Lower than plasma Thus increase in intracellular Ca is associated with **signalling event** (opening of Ca channels)

Question 38

What is apheresis?

Answer 38

Donor's blood is passed through centrifuge to separate a component, then the remainder is returned to the donor

Question 39

What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **plasma exchange**?

Answer 39

Multiple sclerosis, myeloma

Question 40

What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **red cell exchange**?

Answer 40

Sickle cell

Question 41

What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **LDL removal**?

Answer 41

Atherosclerosis

Question 42

What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **white blood cell removal**?

Answer 42

Leukaemia

Question 43

What sort of disorders can therapeutic apherisis treat via **platelet depletion**?

Answer 43

Disorders of homeostasis