Plasma Flashcards
What is intracellular fluid
Fluid found inside cells
What is interstitial fluid
Fluid found in in between cells
What is the role of interstitial fluid ?
It carries oxygen and nutrients to cells and also acts a a vehicle for the removal of cellular waste products.
Where is interstitial fluid drained via?
It is drained from the tissues by the lymphatic vessels and is also known as lymph when collected by these vessels.
What is plasma
It is the liquid component of the blood, comprising of around 55% of blood volume
What is the difference between plasma and interstitial fluid
Plasma contains much more protein
What are the four main fluid compartments of the body
Intracellular, interstitial,plasma and transcellular ( includes ocular and cerebrospinal fluid)
What is in the blood
Plasma (55%) , buffy coat (<1%) which contains leukocytes and platelets and red cells (45%)
What is apherisis?
It is a technique in which the blood of a donor is collected and passed through a centrifuge to separate a particular cellular component with the remains being returned to the donor
What can plasma exchange be used to treat?
Multiple sclerosis and myeloma
What can low density lipid removal be used to treat?
Treatment of patients prone to atherosclerosis
What can red cell exchange be used to treat?
Treatment of sickle cell disease
What can platelet depletion be used to treat?
Treatment of disorders of homeostasis
What can white blood cell depletion be used to treat?
Leukaemia
What is the difference between plasma and serum?
Serum is generated after blood has clotted which also traps cells and platelets in the clot . Plasma is also quite quick to prepare but serum generates a cleaner sample ( containing fewer cells) but takes longer to generate.
What are the functions of plasma
Clotting: includes Von Willebrand factor and other clotting factors
Immune defence: antibodies and complement factors
Osmotic pressure maintenance: albumin helps to maintain osmotic pressure
Metabolism : nutrients such as glucose, amino acids and vitamins are transported in blood plasma
Endocrine : hormones travel in blood to target organs
Excretion: eg. Urea
What are the 2 main types of plasma protein
Serum albumin and globulins
What are the 5 types of proteins found in the plasma
Albumin, alpha1, alpha2, beta and gamma
Where are serum albumins formed?
Liver
What does serum albumin do
Serum albumin functions as the transport of lipids, hormones and ions and maintaining the osmotic pressure of plasma. Albumin transports the fatty acids released by lipolysis around the body for use.
What does alpha1 globulin do
Inhibits proteases. Particularly protects against neutrophil elastase which is released by neutrophils during inflammation . Defective/deficiency compromises lungs where degredation leads to loss of elasticity and resp problems
What is the role of haptoglobin ( examples of alpha-2-globulin) ?
Haptoglobin binds to haemoglobin released from erythrocytes and resulting complex is removed by spleen. So can be a measure of haemolytic anaemia
What is the role of alpha2macroglobin ( example of alpha 2 globulin)?
Protease inhibitor which can also inactivate fibrinolytic where the breakdown of fibrin involved in blood clotting
Examples of beta globulin
Complement protein C3 and C4 and transferrin
What does transferrin do
Produced in liver and transports both dietary iron and that released from the stores of ferritin
What are the effects of gamma globulin
They are immunoglobulins ( antibodies)
Why is the amount of electrolytes imp to be regulated
Due to osmolarity
Where are sodium and potassium ions found
Sodium is the most plentiful cation in plasma. Potassium levels are more in cell ( positive charge from intracellular plasma is balanced by extra cellular chloride ions) . Potassium is also neutralised by a variety of anions ( proteins, nucleic acids and phosphorylated proteins)
