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Blood Plasma: Composition & Functions

Blood plasma constitutes 55% of whole blood and serves as a transport medium for nutrients, waste products, and clotting factors, while maintaining oncotic pressure. It is composed mainly of water (90%), proteins (8%), and various solutes, including electrolytes and gases. Plasma proteins, which include albumin, fibrinogen, and globulins, play crucial roles in coagulation, defense mechanisms, transport, and maintaining osmotic pressure.

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51 views8 pages

Blood Plasma: Composition & Functions

Blood plasma constitutes 55% of whole blood and serves as a transport medium for nutrients, waste products, and clotting factors, while maintaining oncotic pressure. It is composed mainly of water (90%), proteins (8%), and various solutes, including electrolytes and gases. Plasma proteins, which include albumin, fibrinogen, and globulins, play crucial roles in coagulation, defense mechanisms, transport, and maintaining osmotic pressure.

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Haematology

Blood plasma

Prof TT Nyakudya
© Department of Physiology

Definition??

Function?? Plasma = 55% of whole blood

Platelets
“Buffy coat”
<1%
White blood cells

Packed cell
volume, or Red blood cells =
hematocrit 45% of whole blood

1
• Transport medium for nutrients & waste products

• Storage and transport medium of clotting factors

• Protein content is necessary to maintain the oncotic pressure

Blood Plasma: Composition

• Plasma resembles whey in appearance (transparent with a


faint straw colour).
• Blood plasma contains over 100 solutes, including:
– Proteins
– Nonprotein nitrogenous substances
– Organic nutrients
– Electrolytes
– Respiratory gases

2
The table shows the constituents of plasma as percentages of the
total volume

Constituent (%)

Water 90.0

Protein 8.0

Inorganic ions 0.9

Organic substances 1.1

Composition of Blood

Amino acids Albumins


Water

Proteins Globulins
Ions
Glucose Fibrinogen
is
BLOOD composed Plasma Organic such as
of molecules Lipids

Trace elements Nitrogenous


and vitamins waste

CO2
Gases such as
O2

Figure 16-1 (1 of 2)

3
Intracellular
Interstitial
Plasma fluid
fluid
(skeletal muscle)

Plasma membrane
Capillary wall

Plasma proteins
• Plasma proteins form three major groups and these have
various functions.

• The three groups are :

– albumin (60% of total plasma protein)

– fibrinogen (4% of total plasma protein)

– globulins (36% of total plasma protein)

4
5
Source and Functions of Plasma Proteins

Functions of the plasma proteins include:


1. Role in coagulation of blood
2. Role in defense mechanism of body
3. Role in transport of mechanism
4. Role in maintenance of osmotic pressure in
blood
5. Role in regulation of acid base balance
6. Role in viscosity of blood
7. Role in suspension stability of rbc
8. Role in production of trephone substances
9. Role as reserve proteins.

6
Inorganic ions in blood

CONCENTRATION
ION SYMBOL
(mmol/l)

Sodium Na+ 135-146


Potassium K+ 3.5-5.2
Calcium Ca++ 2.1-2.7
Chloride Cl- 98-108

Hydrogen Carbonate HCO3- 23-31

Phosphate PO4-- 0.7-1.4

Other substances in plasma


• Include dissolved gases
• Oxygen is not very soluble in water
• Nutrients
• Waste products
• Hormones
• Drugs and alcohol.

7
Acute-phase protein (APP)

• Any protein whose plasma concentration increases (or


decreases) by 25% or more during certain inflammatory
disorders.
• The acute-phase proteins include:
• C-reactive protein (CRP),
• serum amyloid A (SAA),
• fibrinogen
• alpha 1-acid glycoprotein.

Acute Phase Protein

• CRP release triggered by - infection, trauma, surgery.

• Moderate changes occur after strenuous exercise,


heatstroke, and childbirth.

• Small changes in CRP occur after psychological stress


and in several psychiatric illnesses.

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