Many people know that plasma and serum are related to blood. But not everyone has a deeper knowledge of the subject. Let’s consider what the stated substances are and how they are fundamentally different.
So, one of the fluids, performing its important functions in the body, is blood. Obedient to the beats of the heart, it is constantly moving, transporting various substances to their designated places. In addition to transportation, the blood is also responsible for many other things. It is a substance that handles a large number of tasks, but it is quite complex.
A large part of the blood is made up of so called form elements. They are represented by a certain number of white blood cells, platelets and bodies called red blood cells. All mentioned components exist in a liquid medium, which is plasma. This substance can be seen on top of the settled blood in the form of a light layer, while the heavier particles settle down.
Plasma itself is also a combination of many components, each with a clear purpose. The basis here is water. Proteins of some varieties, vitamins, nutrients are dissolved in it. In addition, mineral compounds, excreted metabolic products and other all kinds of elements are found in the plasma.
As we can see, we are talking about a saturated substance, which is naturally contained in blood, always functioning in the body. At the same time, serum can only be obtained outside the body. It is obtained on the basis of plasma. The latter contains fibrinogen, the protein component responsible for blood clotting.
The serum remains after fibrinogen is removed using certain techniques. The resulting fraction is usually yellowish, but may have a reddish tint due to the presence of some particles. The value of such a fluid is in its stability. The serum, which is not subject to clotting, is stored for a long time. At the same time, its composition remains uniform, without unnecessary clots.
At the same time, the practical value of serum is that it is rich in antibodies, which are feared by pathogens. Such a product of blood processing is indispensable for the manufacture of preparations that perform not only therapeutic but also the preventive function. Such a composition is also used in the process of disease diagnosis, for various investigations, as well as for some other purposes.
