Plasma

Question 1

What is intracellular fluid

Answer 1

Fluid found inside cells

Question 2

What is interstitial fluid

Answer 2

Fluid found in in between cells

Question 3

What is the role of interstitial fluid ?

Answer 3

It carries oxygen and nutrients to cells and also acts a a vehicle for the removal of cellular waste products.

Question 4

Where is interstitial fluid drained via?

Answer 4

It is drained from the tissues by the lymphatic vessels and is also known as lymph when collected by these vessels.

Question 5

What is plasma

Answer 5

It is the liquid component of the blood, comprising of around 55% of blood volume

Question 6

What is the difference between plasma and interstitial fluid

Answer 6

Plasma contains much more protein

Question 7

What are the four main fluid compartments of the body

Answer 7

Intracellular, interstitial,plasma and transcellular ( includes ocular and cerebrospinal fluid)

Question 8

What is in the blood

Answer 8

Plasma (55%) , buffy coat (<1%) which contains leukocytes and platelets and red cells (45%)

Question 9

What is apherisis?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What can plasma exchange be used to treat?

Answer 10

Multiple sclerosis and myeloma

Question 11

What can low density lipid removal be used to treat?

Answer 11

Treatment of patients prone to atherosclerosis

Question 12

What can red cell exchange be used to treat?

Answer 12

Treatment of sickle cell disease

Question 13

What can platelet depletion be used to treat?

Answer 13

Treatment of disorders of homeostasis

Question 14

What can white blood cell depletion be used to treat?

Answer 14

Leukaemia

Question 15

What is the difference between plasma and serum?

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

What are the functions of plasma

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What are the 2 main types of plasma protein

Answer 17

Serum albumin and globulins

Question 18

What are the 5 types of proteins found in the plasma

Answer 18

Albumin, alpha1, alpha2, beta and gamma

Question 19

Where are serum albumins formed?

Answer 19

Liver

Question 20

What does serum albumin do

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

What does alpha1 globulin do

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is the role of haptoglobin ( examples of alpha-2-globulin) ?

Answer 22

Haptoglobin binds to haemoglobin released from erythrocytes and resulting complex is removed by spleen. So can be a measure of haemolytic anaemia

Question 23

What is the role of alpha2macroglobin ( example of alpha 2 globulin)?

Answer 23

Protease inhibitor which can also inactivate fibrinolytic where the breakdown of fibrin involved in blood clotting

Question 24

Examples of beta globulin

Answer 24

Complement protein C3 and C4 and transferrin

Question 25

What does transferrin do

Answer 25

Produced in liver and transports both dietary iron and that released from the stores of ferritin

Question 26

What are the effects of gamma globulin

Answer 26

They are immunoglobulins ( antibodies)

Question 27

Why is the amount of electrolytes imp to be regulated

Answer 27

Due to osmolarity

Question 28

Where are sodium and potassium ions found

Answer 28

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)