Plasma definition

What is Plasma and Definition

Plasma - The liquid portion of the BLOOD. Plasma is about 90 percent water and makes up 55 percent of the total blood volume. It contains numerous substances dissolved in it including electrolytes, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, GLUCOSE, and CLOTTING FACTORS (specialized proteins). It also carries the blood cells in suspension. Plasma is available for transfusion as a blood product, in fresh or freshfrozen form. Plasma derivative products extracted from donated plasma include cryoprecipitated antihemophilic factor (AHF), ALBUMIN, IMMUNOGLOBULIN, and Rh immunoglobulin.

For further discussion of the plasma within the context of blood and lymph structure and function please see the overview section “The Blood and Lymph.”

See also BLOOD TRANSFUSION; ERYTHROCYTE; HEMAPHERESIS; HORMONE; LEUKOCYTE; LYMPHOCYTE; MONOCYTE.

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