Blood plasma

Blood Plasma

Blood plasma (/blʌd ˈplæzmə/) is the liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are suspended. It makes up about 55% of the body's total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid (all body fluid outside cells). It is mostly water (up to 95% by volume), and contains dissolved proteins (6–8%) (i.e. serum albumins, globulins, and fibrinogen), glucose, clotting factors, electrolytes (Na+, Ca++, Mg++, HCO3−, Cl−, etc.), hormones, carbon dioxide (plasma being the main medium for excretory product transportation) and oxygen. It plays a vital role in an intravascular osmotic effect that keeps electrolyte concentration balanced and protects the body from infection and other blood disorders.

Etymology

The term "plasma", introduced by the Dutch physician Paul Moritz Warburg, is derived from the Ancient Greek πλάσμα (plasma), meaning 'moldable substance' or 'jelly'. The term "blood plasma" refers to the colorless, liquid part of the blood.

Related Terms

Blood Cells: The cells that are suspended in blood plasma. They include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Serum Albumins: These are the most abundant proteins in blood plasma. They bind to water, cations (such as Ca++, Na+ and K+), fatty acids, hormones, bilirubin, thyroxine (T4) and pharmaceuticals (including barbiturates): their main function is to regulate the colloidal osmotic pressure of blood.
Globulins: These are a group of proteins within the blood plasma. Globulins, albumins, and fibrinogen are the major blood proteins. The globulins are subdivided into alpha, beta, and gamma globulins.
Fibrinogen: This is a glycoprotein in vertebrates that helps in the formation of blood clots. It is a soluble plasma glycoprotein, synthesized by the liver, that is converted by thrombin into fibrin during blood coagulation.