ACTIVITY XI: SERUM AND PLASMA • Transports nutrients, waste products,

PREPARTION hormones, protein, ions, Oxygen,

May mga analytes na nagrerequire ng
serum or plasma lang
Clinical Chem – Serum ang ginagamit na
analytes (Glucose, TG, Total Cholesterol)
Hemoglobin A1C – diabetes (Level of sugar
for past 3 months)
CO2 and formed elements
• Regulates body temperature
• Assists in the regulation of osmotic
and acid-base balance (pH)
o Normal pH range: 7.35-7.45
• Protection (Immune Defense)
• Prevents excessive blood loss (Clot
Formation)  Platelets

Clotted Blood – Serum (Red Tube, Yellow

top

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CENTRIFUGE

• Clinical
• Microcentrifuged
• Refrigerated - for RNA extraction

BLOOD

• red fluid that circulates inside blood

vessels
• Life Span of RBC: 120 Days

After 120 days engulf siya ni spleen

Buffy Coat – Platelets and WBCs, dito
• Consists of formed elements kukunin DNA
(erythrocytes, leukocytes, and
platelets) and a fluid component Pag yellow top
called plasma
- Serum
• Volume of blood in an average
- Thixotropic gel
human adult is 5 L. (VARIES)
- Buffy coat
o Mas mataas sa male kesa
- RBCs
female
• Circulates in a closed system of Pag may Hepa (PLASMA) – Yellow
vessels Pag hemolyzed (PLASMA) – reddish pinkish
• Have short life spans and are
PLASMA
continuously replaced by
hemopoiesis • 91% Water
• is a clear, straw-colored liquid
*Erythropoiesis – making rbc
portion of the blood in which the
FUNCTION OF BLOOD other cells are suspended.
 • transporting medium for cells and a
variety of substances vital to the
human body.
• contains proteins for blood clotting
and defending the body against
infection.
Plasma = water + proteins + dissolved
substances
PREPARATION/SEPERATION OF PLASMA
1. The blood is mixed with an
appropriate amount of
anticoagulant
2. This preparation should be mixed
immediately and thoroughly to
avoid clotting.
3. It is then centrifuged for 15 minutes
at 2000 -2500 rpm. (xG times gravity)
4. The supernatant fluid is then
separated and then labeled properly
Plasma Proteins (COMPOSITION)
• 60% Albumin
• 35% Globulin
• 4% Fibrinogen
• 1% Other (Blood Protein Content)*
*Regulatory Proteins, Lipoproteins, Iron-
Binding Proteins
cell nor a clotting factor; it is the
blood plasma with the fibrinogens
removed i.e.
Serum = Plasma – Clotting Factors
*Serum doesn’t contain white or red blood
cells
How to know if it’s fully clotted? – Baliktaran
mo parang DQ
PREPARATION/SEPARTION OF SERUM
• The blood is collected using a plain
tube without anticoagulant
• Allow the blood to clot by leaving it
undisturbed at room temperature
which usually takes 15–30 minutes
but not longer than 1 hour before
centrifugation.
• It is then centrifuged for 15 minutes
at 2000 -2500 rpm.
• The supernatant fluid is then
separated and then labeled
properly
In laboratory plasma and serum can be
separated and measured in order to help
with the diagnosis and monitoring of
diseases.

SERUM

• undiluted, extracellular portion of

blood after adequate coagulation is
complete.
• The clear liquid that can be
separated from clotted blood
• is about 90% water with dissolved
proteins, minerals, hormones and
carbon dioxide and is an important
source of electrolytes
• In blood, the serum is the
component that is neither a blood
 • Obtained normally after a meal due
to elevated chylomicrons
• Characterized by milky or highly
turbid serum
• Lactescence appears when the TAG
(Triglyceride) level reaches 4.6 mM
(4g/L)

SPECIMEN INTERFERENCE

Icteresia (Icteric serum)

• Intensely yellow serum sample due

to elevated bilirubin value
• Jaundice in a patient is caused by a
bilirubin level of greater than 430 µM
(25 mg/L)
• Bilirubin interferes with tests using
dyes and turbidity tests

Lysis of cells or Laking (Hemolyzed serum)

• Results in leakage of intracellular

substances
• In vitro hemolysis is more common
which may be due to:
1. Use of vacuum tubes
(magsearch ng blood?)
2. Vigorous mixing
3. Effect of alcohol
4. Centrifugation and separation
steps

*pwede rin daw pag na-introduce ang air

sa tube

• Hemolysis is visible only not until a 200

mg/L of hemoglobin level in present

Lactescence (Lipemic serum)