What is "blood plasma"

Plasma \Plas"ma\, n. [See Plasm.]

1. (Min.) A variety of quartz, of a color between grass green and leek green, which is found associated with common chalcedony. It was much esteemed by the ancients for making engraved ornaments.

2. (Biol.) The viscous material of an animal or vegetable cell, out of which the various tissues are formed by a process of differentiation; protoplasm.

3. Unorganized material; elementary matter.

4. (Med.) A mixture of starch and glycerin, used as a substitute for ointments.
   --U. S. Disp.

5. same as blood plasma.

6. (physics) a state of matter in which charged particles such as electrons and atomi nuclei have sufficiently high energy to move freely, rather than be bound in atoms as in ordinary matter; it has some of the properties of a gas, but is a conductor of electricity.

   Note: In a typical plasma, the number of positive and negative particles are approximately equal. Plasmas are found naturally in the atmosphere of stars, and can be created in special laboratory apparatus.

   Blood plasma (Physiol.), the colorless fluid of the blood, in which the red and white blood corpuscles are suspended. It may be obtained by centrifuation of blood to remove the blood cells. It is distinguished from serum in that plasma still has the fibrin of blood, and may be clotted, while in serum the fibrin has been removed.

   Muscle plasma (Physiol.), the fundamental part of muscle fibers, a thick, viscid, albuminous fluid contained within the sarcolemma, which on the death of the muscle coagulates to a semisolid mass.

n. (context hematology English) The clear fluid portion of blood in which the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are suspended; forms serum upon clotting.

n. plasma that separates from blood in coagulation

Blood plasma is the pale yellow coloured liquid component of blood that normally holds the blood cells in whole blood in suspension; this makes plasma the extracellular matrix of blood cells. 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 of 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, HCO, Cl, etc.), hormones, and carbon dioxide (plasma being the main medium for excretory product transportation). Plasma also serves as the protein reserve of the human body. It plays a vital role in an intravascular osmotic effect that keeps electrolytes in balanced form and protects the body from infection and other blood disorders.

Blood plasma is prepared by spinning a tube of fresh blood containing an anticoagulant 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/m, or 1.025 g/ml.

Blood serum is blood plasma without clotting factors; in other words, "pure" blood. Plasmapheresis is a medical therapy that involves blood plasma extraction, treatment, and reintegration.

It is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.