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1.2 POM Haematology > Plasma > Flashcards

Plasma Flashcards

(70 cards)

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1
Q

What is plasma?

A

The liquid component of blood

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2
Q

What proportion of blood is plasma?

A

55%

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3
Q

What is the buffy coat in blood?

A

Leukocytes and platelets
—> 1% of blood

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4
Q

What are the 3 components of blood?

A
  1. Red cells —> 45%
  2. Buffy coat —> 1%
  3. Plasma —> 55%
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5
Q

How can the 3 components of blood be separated?

A

Centrifugation

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6
Q

What is blood serum?

A

Plasma without clotting factors

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7
Q

How is serum obtained?

A
  1. Blood into tube without anticoagulant
  2. Blood clots
  3. Centrifugation —> isolate serum
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8
Q

What is an SST?

A

Serum Separator Tube

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9
Q

What do SSTs contain and why? (2)

A
  1. Silica coating —> induces clotting
  2. Gel layer —> barrier between cells and serum
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10
Q

How are different vacutainer types differentiated?

A

Colour of lid

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11
Q

What is the average volume of fluid in the body?

A

40L

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12
Q

What are the 2 categories of fluid in the body?

A
  1. Intracellular
  2. Extracellular
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13
Q

What are the 3 types of extracellular fluid?

A
  1. Interstitial
  2. Blood plasma
  3. Transcellular
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14
Q

What is the average volume of intracellular fluid in the body?

A

23L

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15
Q

What is the average volume of interstitial fluid in the body?

A

15L

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16
Q

What is the average volume of blood plasma in the body?

A

3L

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17
Q

What is the average volume of transcellular fluid in the body?

A

1L

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18
Q

What percentage of body fluid is intracellular fluid?

A

55%

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19
Q

What percentage of body fluid is interstitial fluid?

A

36%

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20
Q

What percentage of body fluid is blood plasma?

A

7%

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21
Q

What percentage of body fluid is transcellular fluid?

A

2%

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22
Q

What percentage of body fluid is extracellular fluid?

A

45%

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23
Q

What are the 6 functions of plasma?

A
  1. Clotting
  2. Immune defense
  3. Osmotic pressure maintenance
  4. Metabolism
  5. Endocrine
  6. Excretion
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24
Q

What components of plasma contribute to its clotting function? (2)

A
  1. Clotting factors
  2. Von Willebrand factor
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25
What components of plasma contribute to its immune function?
1. Antibodies 2. Complement proteins
26
What components of plasma contribute to its osmotic pressure maintenance function?
1. Proteins eg. albumin 2. Electrolytes
27
What components of plasma contribute to its metabolic function?
Nutrients transported in plasma
28
What components of plasma contribute to its endocrine function?
Hormones transported in plasma to target organs
29
What components of plasma contribute to its excretory function?
Waste products transported via plasma eg. urea to kidneys
30
What percentage of plasma is proteins?
7%
31
How can different proteins be obtained from plasma?
Electrophoresis
32
What are the 2 main types of plasma proteins?
1. Serum albumin 2. Globulins
33
What does a typical electrophoresis of serum look like?
+ 1. Albumin - most ---> highest peak 2. Alpha 1 3. Alpha 2 4. Beta 5. Gamma -
34
What are the 4 types of globulin plasma protein?
1. Alpha 1 2. Alpha 2 3. Beta 4. Gamma
35
What percentage of plasma proteins are globulin?
35%
36
What is the alpha-1 globulin present in plasma?
A1AT (Alpha-1 AntiTrypsin)
37
Where is A1AT produced?
Liver
38
What are the 2 functions of A1AT?
1. Inhibits proteases ---> won't breakdown plasma proteins 2. Protect tissues from enzymes - eg. neutrophil elastase released during inflammatory response
39
What does A1AT deficiency lead to?
Respiratory problems - Degradation of lung tissue - More vulnerable to pollutants
40
What type of proteins are C3 and C4?
Beta-globulins
41
What are 3 examples of beta globulins?
1. C3 2. C4 3. Transferrin
42
What type of protein is transferrin?
Beta-globulin
43
What is the function of transferrin?
Transport iron (from diet and ferritin stores)
44
Where is transferrin produced?
Liver
45
What are the 2 types of gamma globins in plasma?
1. Immunoglobins 2. C reactive protein
46
What type of protein are immunoglobulins?
Gamma-globins
47
What type of protein is C reactive protein?
Gamma-globins
48
What is an increase in gamma globin indicative of? (2)
1. Infection 2. Myeloma
49
What are the 3 components of plasma?
1. Water 2. Proteins 3. Electrolytes
50
Which 5 electrolytes are found in plasma?
1. Na+ 2. K+ 3. Ca2+ 4. Mg2+ 5. Cl-
51
What is the concentration of Na+ in plasma vs blood cells?
Higher in plasma (30x) - 150 vs 5
52
What is the concentration of K+ in plasma vs blood cells?
Higher in cells (30x) - 5 vs 140
53
What is the concentration of Ca2+ in plasma vs blood cells?
Higher in plasma (1000s x) - 3 vs 10^-4
54
What is the concentration of Mg2+ in plasma vs blood cells?
Higher in plasma (4x) - 2 vs 0.5
55
What is the concentration of Cl- in plasma vs blood cells?
Higher in plasma (11x) - 110 vs 10 - Balances positive charge of Na+
56
What is the function of Mg2+ in plasma?
Cofactor of enzymes
57
What is an increase in intracellular Ca2+ indicative of?
Cell signalling
58
What proportion of ATP used at rest is consumed by Na+K+ATPase?
Over 1/3
59
What happens when intracellular ATP levels decrease?
Cells swell ---> spherical - Inc Na+ in ---> inc Cl- and water in
60
What are the 2 uses of plasma in diagnostics/treatment?
1. Biomarkers ---> diagnosis 2. Passive immunotherapy ---> treatment
61
How can plasma be used as biomarkers?
1. Plasma specimen subjected to lab tests (see elevated molecules) 2. Study plasma proteome
62
Why is plasma/serum so useful in diagnostics?
Easy to obtain
63
How can plasma be used for passive immunotherapy?
Transfer plasma immunoglobins (IgG) to infected/vulnerable patients
64
Why is plasma so useful for passive immunotherapy? (2)
1. Lots of IgG 2. Protects against most common pathogens (eg. MMR)
65
What is IVIG?
IntraVenous Immunoglobin G
66
What is the main methods of using plasma for passive immunotherapy?
IVIG
67
What is hyperimmune globulin?
Specialised form of immunoglobulin containing a high concentration of antibodies specific to a particular pathogen - Donors screened for high titres of IgG
68
What is an example of using plasma to treat an infection?
COVID 19
69
What are the 4 steps of using convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19
1. Patient infected with SARS-Cov-2 ---> develops specific antibodies against COVID ---> recovers 2. Blood donated ---> antibody-rich plasma obtained 3. Plasma tested for affinity and number of antibodies 4. Plasma donated to patient with COVID-19 infection
70
What are convalescent antibodies?
From individuals who have recovered from a specific infection

1.2 POM Haematology (7 decks)

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