Plasma Flashcards
What is plasma?
The liquid component of blood
What proportion of blood is plasma?
55%
What is the buffy coat in blood?
Leukocytes and platelets
—> 1% of blood
What are the 3 components of blood?
- Red cells —> 45%
- Buffy coat —> 1%
- Plasma —> 55%
How can the 3 components of blood be separated?
Centrifugation
What is blood serum?
Plasma without clotting factors
How is serum obtained?
- Blood into tube without anticoagulant
- Blood clots
- Centrifugation —> isolate serum
What is an SST?
Serum Separator Tube
What do SSTs contain and why? (2)
- Silica coating —> induces clotting
- Gel layer —> barrier between cells and serum
How are different vacutainer types differentiated?
Colour of lid
What is the average volume of fluid in the body?
40L
What are the 2 categories of fluid in the body?
- Intracellular
- Extracellular
What are the 3 types of extracellular fluid?
- Interstitial
- Blood plasma
- Transcellular
What is the average volume of intracellular fluid in the body?
23L
What is the average volume of interstitial fluid in the body?
15L
What is the average volume of blood plasma in the body?
3L
What is the average volume of transcellular fluid in the body?
1L
What percentage of body fluid is intracellular fluid?
55%
What percentage of body fluid is interstitial fluid?
36%
What percentage of body fluid is blood plasma?
7%
What percentage of body fluid is transcellular fluid?
2%
What percentage of body fluid is extracellular fluid?
45%
What are the 6 functions of plasma?
- Clotting
- Immune defense
- Osmotic pressure maintenance
- Metabolism
- Endocrine
- Excretion
What components of plasma contribute to its clotting function? (2)
- Clotting factors
- Von Willebrand factor
What components of plasma contribute to its immune function?
- Antibodies
- Complement proteins
What components of plasma contribute to its osmotic pressure maintenance function?
- Proteins eg. albumin
- Electrolytes
What components of plasma contribute to its metabolic function?
Nutrients transported in plasma
What components of plasma contribute to its endocrine function?
Hormones transported in plasma to target organs