Plasma Flashcards
- What is plasma?
- What type of drug can be used to stop the blood from clotting?
- What separates the red cells from the plasma after the addition of an anticoagulant and centrifugation?
Liquid component of blood that holds blood cells of whole blood in suspension
Anticoagulant Buffy coat
- How is serum generated?
- What is a buffy coat made out of?
- What are the differences between plasma and serum samples?
blood taken into tube without anticoagulant added, Letting blood clot for several minutes then centrifuging (less coagulation factors and trapping cells and platelets within clot)
Leukocytes and platelets
Plasma faster to prepare
Serum is cleaner as no clotting factors
- Name the 4 main fluid compartments in humans
- Where is interstitial fluid found?
- Why does interstitial fluid play an important role?
Intracellular (55%) inside cells Extracellular which includes: - Interstitial (36%) between cells - Blood Plasma (7%) - Transcellular (2%)
Outside of cells - lymph drains Carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells and also acts as a vehicle for the removal of cellular waste products
- How is interstitial fluid drained and what is it known as when it is drained?
- What do transcellular fluids include?
- What is the most abundant plasma protein?
through lymphatic vessels
Lymph
Occular and Cerebrospinal fluid
Albumin (55%)
- Where is serum albumin produced?
- What is A1AT, where is it produced and what does it do?
- What do neutrophils release during inflammation?
Liver
Alpha-1-antitrypsin, liver, inhibits proteases and protects tissues from enzymes eg those released by neutrophils
neutrophil elastase
- What is the effect of defective or deficient A1AT to the lungs?
- What is the function of alpha2-macroglobulin?
- What does haptoglobin bind to and what disease does it diagnose for
respiratory problems and loss of elasticity of lung tissue
due to degradation of lung tissue
more vulnerable to inhaled pollutants
haemoglobin released by erythrocytes, haemoglobin haptoglobin complex removed by spleen, haemolytic anaemia
protease inhibitor, mainly to inhibit plasmin and stop fibrinolysis (so blood clot not destroyed)
- What is the role of transferrin?
- Where is transferrin generated?
- What are the 2 main gamma globulins and what can they be used for?
Transportation of Iron- both dietary iron and iron released from iron stores ferritin
liver
C reactive protein
Immunoglobin
Diagnostic uses- increase in certain immunoglobins indicates infection or myeloma
- What is the most plentiful cation in plasma?
- What balances the charge of intracellular K+?
- Why is there typically an increase in intracellular Ca2+?
- what is intracellular MG2+ used for
Na+
Cl- and various anions eg proteins, nucleic acids, phosphorylated proteins
release of intracellular stores or due to cell signalling and calcium ion channels from extracellular into intracellular
co factor to many enzymes
- How are the electrolyte gradients maintained?
- What is the name of the protein used in the Na+/K+ pump?
- For every 3 Na+ actively transported out how many K+ in?
active transport by protein pumps eg Na+ K+ ATP ase, using energy from hydrolysis of ATP
Na+ K+ ATPase
2
- What is the main difference between the composition of plasma and interstitial fluid?
- What are the main functions of serum albumin?
Plasma has more proteins
Transportation of lipids, hormones and ions
maintain osmotic pressure
fatty acids released by lipolysis are transported by albumin for beta oxidation
Functions of plasma?
Clotting eg clotting factors and VWF
Immune defence- antibodies and complement
Osmotic pressure balance- albumin
Metabolism- transport glucose, amino acids and vitamins
Endocrine- hormones that are soluble in plasma
Excretion- waste product eg urea
- What is the function of alpha2-macroglobulin?
It is a broadly active protease inhibitor which can inactivate fibrinolysis, the breakdown of fibrin involved in blood clotting
What do SST have (serum separator tubes)
what is serum
silica layer which induces clotting
a layer of gel forming a physical barrier between cells and serum
plasma without clotting factors
- What is convalescent plasma?
plasma taken from a healthy individual to a diseased one
contains high levels of polyclonal antibodies specific to disease
It is still used as a prophylactic treatment, taken post exposure to a variety of viruses, including hepatitis B and rabies
- Give examples of Beta Globulins?
C3 complement protein , C4 complement protein , Transferrin
