What is the difference between plasma and serum? Plasma is the liquid part of blood that makes up 55% of the blood’s total volume. It is 90% water and carries proteins, electrolytes, antibodies, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body.
It also transports clotting factors and other fluids needed for normal blood clotting. Serum is the liquid part of blood that remains after a clot has formed.
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Definition
The term plasma refers to the liquid portion of blood, which forms more than half of it. It contains suspended red blood cells and white blood cells along with various nutrients, antibodies, electrolytes and clotting factors.
Plasma consists of 90% water, and it is necessary for maintaining the body’s pH, osmotic load, and protecting the body from infection or disease. It also carries oxygen and nutrients to the different organs, as well as waste products from the cellular metabolism to the kidneys, liver, and lungs for excretion.
Serum is a clear liquid which is devoid of blood cells and clotting factors. It carries proteins, electrolytes, and antibodies to the different cells of the body for their functions.
This straw-colored liquid is often used in transfers for patients with hemophilia, burns, and other clotting disorders. It is composed of 90% water and does not contain fibrinogen, which is essential for clotting. It is isolated from blood using a process called plasmapheresis.
Purity
When we use the term “purity,” we often think of sexual purity or saving sex for marriage. But purity goes beyond sexuality; it is the ability to live a life that honors God in all areas of our lives.
In the laboratory, plasma and serum are among the most important matrices for chemical analysis of trace elements. However, impressive evidence has accumulated that unsuspected extraneous additions during the collection and preparation of these matrices have devastating effects on the results of trace element assays.
One of the most important issues that should be addressed is the control of contamination during sample collection. This includes the elimination of air particulates, particularly dust, which may result in errors in trace element assays. Other sources of contamination, such as containers and reagents, must also be thoroughly checked.
Reliability
Several analytes are more reliably measured in serum than plasma, whereas others may change their relative levels depending on how the blood sample is processed. These differences can arise due to coagulation, which removes proteins and metabolites (e.g., fibrinogen) from serum samples, and platelet activation, which releases a variety of proteins that affect analyte levels in plasma.
For example, the level of soluble nitrogen free L-nitroso-L-leucylamide (NfL) in unprocessed blood samples remains stable when processed up to 7 days at room temperature. This information is essential for ensuring reliable study protocols.
SPIROMICS investigators analyzed multiple analytes grouped in 12 multiplexes and a simplex for microalbumin in serum, EDTA plasma and P100 plasma (Table 2). Almost all analytes were detected in all sample types, with the exception of Myriad-RBM multiplexes HMPC49 and HMPCORE1, which performed more poorly than other multiplexes, based on descriptive comparisons of reliability and ratios of coefficient of variation values.
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Applications
Plasma is the liquid part of blood that contains various proteins, clotting factors, antibodies and other substances. It also carries glucose and other dissolved nutrients throughout the body.
In addition, plasma maintains pH and osmotic pressure in the blood. These properties help with normal functioning of muscles and nerves.
The primary electrolytes in serum are sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium. It also contains various ions and salts, traces of nucleic acids and metabolites.
Serum is obtained when clotted blood is centrifuged to remove the clot. It contains two types of proteins, albumin and globulin.
Plasma is the yellowish liquid component of the blood that consists of 90% water. It contains proteins, enzymes, salts, and antibodies. It also carries hormones, vitamins, and other substances to different parts of the body. It is the most important component of blood and is used in treatments for many serious diseases. It is frequently collected and donated by healthcare professionals as fresh frozen plasma (FFP).