SEPARATION OF SERUM AND PLASMA FROM BLOOD
AIM
To separate plasma and serum from the whole blood
INTRODUCTION
The blood is a fluid that flows throughout the body in blood vessels. Blood carries oxygen and
nutrients to your organs and tissues and helps remove waste. Blood also helps you fight
infections and heal from injuries.
Blood can be broken down into different parts (components). These components include red
blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
Red blood cells (RBCs) carry oxygen to the body. Each RBC lives for about 4 months.
RBCs contain a protein called hemoglSobin. Hemoglobin allows RBCs to pick up
oxygen from the lungs. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin.
White blood cells (WBCs) are part of the body’s immune system. WBCs help fight
infections and diseases. There are different types of WBCs. These include neutrophils,
lymphocytes, monoctyes, eosinophils, and basophils. WBCs live for hours, days,
months, or years depending on the specific type.
Platelets are cells that help with clotting. When you have a cut or bruise, platelets come
together to form a clot or “plug.” This helps to control bleeding, so your body doesn’t
lose too much blood. Platelets live in the body for about 7 to 10 days.
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. It carries the different types of blood cells to all
the parts of the body. Plasma also carries proteins including clotting factors. Clotting
factors help platelets with the clotting process.
Serum refers to the clear, yellowish fluid that remains after blood has clotted. The
serum lacks fibrinogen and other proteins involved in the clotting process.
PRINCIPLE
Separating serum and plasma from blood involves distinct processes. The serum is the liquid
fraction of whole blood collected after allowing the blood to clot. The clot is removed through
centrifugation, and the resulting supernatant is designated as serum. The formed serum is
carefully extracted using a pasteur pipette. Compared to serum, the plasma is produced when
whole blood is collected in tubes treated with an anticoagulant. In these tubes, the blood does
not clot. The cells are removed by centrifugation and the supernatant is designated as plasma.
The separated blood plasma is carefully extracted from the cell pellet using a pasteur pipette.
In this collection methods, centrifugation principle is used to extract/recover the needed serum
and plasma.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Whole blood
Table-top centrifuge
Centrifuge tubes
Disposable gloves
Disposable Pasteur pipette
Measuring cylinder
Syringe
PROCEDURE
In the first step, blood was collected aseptically collected using 2 ml syringe
Transfer into dry clean centrifuge tube, pipette 15 ml of whole blood (V1)
Place the centrifuge tube in the centrifuge machine and run it at 3000 rpm for 10
minutes.
Centrifugation of whole blood separates the solid from the supernatant plasma
Remove the tube, withdraw the liquid layer (plasma) by pasture pipette and measure its
volume using small measuring cylinder (V2)
Determine the volume of blood cells too V3 (equal to V1 – V2)
Transfer the supernatant (plasma) in another centrifuge tube and make further
centrifugation at 3000 rpm.
This will precipitate fibrinogen and the supernatant will be SERUM. Measure its
volume as V4.
INTERPRETATION
OBSERVATION
RESULT
Component Total volume Percentage
Whole blood V1
Plasma V2
Blood cells V3
Serum V4
