Blood plasma

Blood plasma is the yellow liquid component of blood, in which the blood
cells in whole blood would normally be suspended. It makes up about 55% of the
total blood volume. It is mostly water (90% by volume) and contains dissolved
proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, hormones and carbon dioxide
(plasma being the main medium for excretory product transportation). Blood
plasma is prepared by spinning a tube of fresh blood in a centrifuge until the blood
cells fall to the bottom of the tube. The blood plasma is then poured or drawn off.
Blood plasma has a density of approximately 1025 kg/m3, or 1.025 kg/l.

Blood serum is blood plasma without fibrinogen or the other clotting factors
(i.e., whole blood minus both the cells and the clotting factors).[1]

Plasmapheresis is a medical therapy that involves blood plasma extraction,

treatment, and reintegration.

Fresh frozen plasma and other transfused plasmas

"Fresh frozen plasma" (FFP) is prepared from a single unit of blood or by

apheresis, drawn from a single person. It is frozen to −40 °C (−40.0 °F) after
collection and can be stored for ten years from date of collection. The term "FFP" is
sometimes used informally to mean any frozen transfusable plasma product,
including products which do not meet the standards for FFP. FFP contains all of the
coagulation factors and proteins present in the original unit of blood. It is used to
treat coagulopathies from warfarin overdose, liver disease, or dilutional
coagulopathy. Other transfusable plasma is identical except that the coagulation
factors are no longer considered completely viable.[3] This is particularly important
for Factor VIII and hemophilia, but these have been mostly replaced by more
specific Factor VIII concentrates in the developed world and true FFP is rarely used
for that indication.

Plasma used as a source of Cryoprecipitate (Plasma, Cryoprecipitate

Reduced) cannot be used for treatment of some coagulation problems but is still
acceptable for many uses.

Dried plasma

Dried plasma packages used by Britain and US military during WWII

"Dried plasma" was developed and first used in WWII. Prior to the United
States' involvement in the war, liquid plasma and whole blood were used. The
"Blood for Britain" program during the early 1940s was quite successful (and
popular in the United States) based on Dr. Charles Drew's contribution. A large
project was begun in August of the year 1940 to collect blood in New York City
hospitals for the export of plasma to Britain. Dr. Drew was appointed medical
supervisor of the "Plasma for Britain" project. His notable contribution at this time
was to transform the test tube methods of many blood researchers, including
himself, into the first successful mass production techniques.
 Nonetheless, the decision was made to develop a dried plasma package for
the armed forces as it would reduce breakage and make the transportation,
packaging, and storage much simpler.[4]

The resulting Army-Navy dried plasma package came in two tin cans
containing 400 cc bottles. One bottle contained enough distilled water to completely
reconstitute the dried plasma contained within the other bottle. In about three
minutes, the plasma would be ready to use and could stay fresh for around four
hours.

Following the "Plasma for Britain" invention, Dr. Drew was named director of
the Red Cross blood bank and assistant director of the National Research Council, in
charge of blood collection for the United States Army and Navy. Dr. Drew argued
against the armed forces directive that blood/plasma was to be separated by the
race of the donor. Dr. Drew argued that there was no racial difference in human
blood and that the policy would lead to needless deaths as soldiers and sailors were
required to wait for "same race" blood.

By the end of the war the American Red Cross had provided enough blood for
over six million plasma packages. Most of the surplus plasma was returned to the
United States for civilian use. Serum albumin replaced dried plasma for combat use
during the Korean War.[7]

Plasma

About 55% of whole blood is blood plasma, a fluid that is the blood's liquid
medium, which by itself is straw-yellow in color. The blood plasma volume totals of
2.7–3.0 litres (2.8–3.2 quarts) in an average human. It is essentially an aqueous
solution containing 92% water, 8% blood plasma proteins, and trace amounts of
other materials. Plasma circulates dissolved nutrients, such as glucose, amino acids,
and fatty acids (dissolved in the blood or bound to plasma proteins), and removes
waste products, such as carbon dioxide, urea, and lactic acid.

Other important components include:

* Serum albumin

* Blood-clotting factors (to facilitate coagulation)

* Immunoglobulins (antibodies)

* lipoprotein particles

* Various other proteins

* Various electrolytes (mainly sodium and chloride)

The term serum refers to plasma from which the clotting proteins have been
removed. Most of the proteins remaining are albumin and immunoglobulins.

The normal pH of human arterial blood is approximately 7.40 (normal range

is 7.35–7.45), a weakly alkaline solution. Blood that has a pH below 7.35 is too
acidic, whereas blood pH above 7.45 is too alkaline. Blood pH, partial pressure of
oxygen (pO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), and HCO3 are carefully
regulated by a number of homeostatic mechanisms, which exert their influence
principally through the respiratory system and the urinary system in order to control
the acid-base balance and respiration. Plasma also circulates hormones transmitting
their messages to various tissues. The list of normal reference ranges for various
blood electrolytes is extensive.