OverviewThe components that make up human blood, including plasma, white blood cells and red blood cells.What is plasma?Plasma is the liquid component of blood. Red and white blood cells and platelets float in your plasma, and together make up whole blood. Your body contains between 5 to 6 quarts (5 liters) of blood. Show
FunctionWhat does plasma do?Plasma has several roles to help your body function. Plasma is responsible for:
What is plasma used for?Plasma is essential to keep your body functioning. If you lose a lot of blood due to surgery, an accident or if you have a bleeding disorder, clotting or immune deficiency, plasma donations replenish the blood and plasma lost in your body. How do I donate plasma?There are two ways that you can donate plasma:
After removing plasma from your body, the lab freezes your donated plasma within 24 hours of removing it to preserve clotting factors and immunoglobulins. Frozen plasma has a shelf life of one year. Plasma from donors with an AB blood type is preferred because it does not have antibodies in it and can be given to any blood type recipient, but anyone can donate. AnatomyWhere is plasma developed?In the embryo, cells found in your umbilical cord produce plasma cells. After development, plasma proteins form in the soft tissue of your bones (bone marrow), liver cells, blood cells at the end of their lifespan and in your spleen. What does plasma look like?Plasma is a liquid. It's a light yellow color and resembles the color of straw. Although plasma makes up more than half of your blood’s total volume, the color of red blood cells dominates the color of your whole blood. What percentage of blood is plasma?Plasma makes up 55% of your blood’s total volume. Red blood cells follow at 44% of your blood’s volume, and a combination of white blood cells and platelets fill the remaining 1%. How do you separate plasma from the other components of blood?Your extracted blood spins in a centrifuge machine (centrifugation), which separates the whole blood sample into several layers. The yellow, top layer is plasma and the bottom layer contains your blood cells (red and white) and platelets. What is plasma made of?Blood plasma is a combination of:
What proteins are in plasma?Plasma contains several proteins including:
Conditions and DisordersIs plasma tested for any transmittable conditions?To ensure the safety of your blood sample, your healthcare provider will test your blood for transmittable diseases after removal. In the same process, your healthcare provider also tests your plasma for the same diseases including:
What are diseases or conditions that affect plasma?There are several rare conditions that affect blood plasma including:
What are the symptoms of plasma disorders?Symptoms of plasma conditions include:
What tests check the health of my body’s plasma?There are several tests to check the health of your plasma:
What are common treatments for plasma disorders?Treatments for plasma disorders vary based on the severity of the illness. Treatment includes:
CareHow do I keep my plasma healthy?You can keep your plasma healthy by:
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the plasma membrane?A part of all cells in your body, the plasma membrane, also known as a cell membrane, is the wall that separates the interior of the cell from the exterior and outside environment. Your plasma membrane protects your cells and functions to bring nutrients into the cells and remove waste from the cells. Your plasma membrane also interacts with other cells via proteins that attach to the membrane. What is platelet-rich plasma?Platelet-rich plasma is the combination of platelets and plasma to assist in healing and repairing injuries. Platelets are responsible for helping blood clot during an injury. After withdrawing blood from your vein, a centrifuge machine separates your blood into layers by spinning it quickly, leaving plasma and platelets after removing red and white blood cells. Your healthcare provider injects platelet-rich plasma into your body to heal injuries including:
A note from Cleveland Clinic Plasma is essential for your body to function and serves as the liquid that holds your red and white blood cells and platelets together. Plasma disorders are rare, but your donation of plasma helps others live healthy lives. Is it better to donate plasma or blood?Plasma donations are a great fit for anyone who wants to earn extra while having a meaningful impact on the lives of others, while whole blood donations are perfect for those who are short on time, but still want to give back.
Is blood also called plasma?Plasma, also known as blood plasma, appears light-yellowish or straw-colored. It serves as the liquid base for whole blood. Whole blood minus erythrocytes (RBCs), leukocytes (WBCs), and thrombocytes (platelets) make up the plasma.
Is blood and plasma donation the same thing?Donating plasma and donating blood are essentially the same process: the entry questionnaire, getting hooked up to a machine, the cookie afterward. But in the US there's a key difference: one is an act of charity, and the other an act of commerce.
Why would you give plasma instead of blood?Plasma Helps Patients with Rare Conditions
Plasma donations are specifically used to treat over 80 different autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiencies, and rare blood disorders. Blood donations, on the other hand, are often used for blood transfusions.
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