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 closest to the left side?

Answer 3

Largest therefore closest to cathode

Question 4

What ion has the highest concentration in plasma?

Answer 4

Sodium

Question 5

What ion has the highest concentration in blood cells?

Answer 5

K+

Question 6

What is the alpha 1 globulin?

Answer 6

A1AT - Alpha 1 anti trypsin

Question 7

What does A1AT do?

Answer 7

It is a protease inhibitor, protects the lungs against degradation of tissue by neutrophil elastase

Question 8

What are the alpha 2 globulins?

Answer 8

Macroglobin and haptoglobin

Question 9

What does macroglobin do?

Answer 9

Inactivates fibrinolysis so more clot formation

Question 10

What does haptoglobin do?

Answer 10

Binds to release haemoglobin, forming haptoglobin-haemoglobin complexes which are removed by the spleen

Question 11

What are beta globulins?

Answer 11

Complement proteins and transferritin

Question 12

What are Gemma globulins?

Answer 12

C Reactive protein - increased levels during infection / inflammation

Question 13

What is plasma?

Answer 13

The liquid component of blood

Question 14

What is serum?

Answer 14

The blood plasma minus the clotting factors

Question 15

What is the buffy coat?

Answer 15

Leukocytes and platelets

Question 16

How is serum collected?

Answer 16

Blood taken without anticoagulant, so clotting factors are in the clot

The clot is then separated from the rest of the components through a centrifuge

Question 17

What do serum separator tubes have which induce clotting?

Answer 17

Silica coating

Question 18

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

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What is the advantage of collecting plasma over serum?

Answer 19

Plasma is collected more easily

Question 20

What are the functions of plasma?

Answer 20

MOCIEE

Metabolism
Osmotic Balance maintainance
Clotting
Immune defense
Excretion
Endocrine

Question 21

How is plasma involved in excretion?

Answer 21

cell metabolism waste products such as urea are transported via the plasma fraction of the blood to the kidneys for removal

Question 22

How is plasma involved in endocrine functions?

Answer 22

many hormones are soluble in plasma and following release into the blood travel to their target organs

Question 23

What protein helps to maintain colloid osmotic pressure?

Answer 23

Serum albumin

Question 24

what are the key functions of serum albumin?

Answer 24

Transport of hormones, lipids and ions

Maintainance of osmotic pressure of plasma

Question 25

How does albumin get involved with beta oxidation?

Answer 25

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 26

Measuring levels of haptoglobin can be informative in the diagnosis of what?

Answer 26

haemolytic anaemia

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

The cells have a tendency to 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 from one individual to another.

Question 30

What is IVIG?

Answer 30

Intravenous Immunoglobulin - allows for the introduction of relatively large amounts of IgG

Question 31

How are the IgG obtained from patients?

Answer 31

Donors are screen for high levels of IgG against a particular pathogen using ELISA, this IgG fraction is then isolated from the plasma of these 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 is very similar to interstitial with the main difference being that plasma contains much more protein.