Function of Plasma: Structure, Functions, and Donation ...

Plasma is an important part of blood that helps with everything from regulating body temperature to fighting infection. Not having enough plasma can have ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeWhatIsPlasmaandWhyIsItImportant?MedicallyreviewedbyJ.KeithFisher,M.D.—WrittenbyRachelNall,MSN,CRNA—UpdatedonSeptember5,2018CompositionFunctionsDonationsTakeawayWhatisplasma?Yourbloodcanbeseparatedintofourcomponents,oneofthembeingplasma.Theotherthreeare:redbloodcellswhitebloodcellsplateletsPlasmamakesupabout55percentofyourblood.Itcarriesoutseveralkeyfunctionsinthebody,includingtransportingwasteproducts.Readontolearnmoreaboutplasma,includingwhatit’smadeofanditsmanyfunctions.What’sinplasma?Plasmacontainsabout92percentwater.Thiswaterhelpstofillupbloodvessels,whichkeepsbloodandothernutrientsmovingthroughtheheart.Theremaining8percentofplasmacontainsseveralkeymaterials,including:proteinsimmunoglobulinselectrolytesWhenbloodisseparatedintoitskeycomponents,includingredbloodcellsandplasma,plasmalookslikeayellow-tingedfluid.Whatarethefunctionsofplasma?Oneofplasma’smainfunctionsistheremovalofwastefromcellularfunctionsthathelptoproduceenergy.Plasmaacceptsandtransportsthiswastetootherareasofthebody,suchasthekidneysorliver,forexcretion.Plasmaalsohelpsmaintainbodytemperaturebyabsorbingandreleasingheatasneeded.Inadditiontotransportingwasteandregulatingbodytemperature,plasmahasseveralotherkeyfunctionsthatarecarriedoutbyitsdifferentcomponents:ProteinsPlasmacontainstwokeyproteinscalledalbuminandfibrinogen.Albuminisvitalformaintainingabalanceoffluid,calledoncoticpressure,intheblood.Thispressureiswhatkeepsfluidfromleakingintoareasofthebodyandskinwherelessfluidusuallycollects.Forexample,peoplewithlowalbuminlevelsmayhaveswellingintheirhands,feet,andabdomen.Fibrinogenhelpstoreduceactivebleeding,makingitanimportantpartoftheblood-clottingprocess.Ifapersonlosesalotblood,they’llalsoloseplasmaandfibrinogen.Thismakesitharderforbloodtoclot,whichcanleadtosignificantbloodloss.ImmunoglobulinsPlasmacontainsgammaglobulins,atypeofimmunoglobulin.Immunoglobulinshelpthebodyfightoffinfections.ElectrolytesElectrolytesconductelectricitywhendissolvedinwater,hencetheirname.Commonelectrolytesincludesodium,potassium,magnesium,andcalcium.Eachoftheseelectrolytesplaysakeyroleinthebody.Whenyoudon’thaveenoughelectrolytes,youcanhavearangeofsymptoms,including:muscleweaknessseizuresunusualheartrhythmsWhyareplasmadonationsneeded?Whenpeoplelosealotofblood,oftenduetoatraumaticaccidentorsurgery,theyalsolosealotofplasma.Givenallthefunctionsofplasma,thiscanhaveseriouseffectsonsomeone’shealth.Thisiswhyorganizationscollectplasmainadditiontowholeblood.Howit’sdoneTherearetwowaystodonateplasma.Thefirstisbydonatingwholeblood.Alaboratorythenseparatesthebloodcomponents,includingplasma,asneeded.Theotherwayinvolvesdonatingonlyplasma.Thisisperformedthroughamethodknownasplasmapheresis.Amachinedrawsbloodfromaveinintoacentrifuge.Acentrifugeisamachinethatspinsrapidly,whichseparatesplasmafromotherbloodcomponents.Plasmaisnaturallylighterthanmanyothercomponents,soittendstorisetothetopduringthisprocess.Themachinewillkeeptheplasmaandsendothercomponents,suchasredbloodcells,backintoyourbody.Donatedplasmakeepsforaboutayear.It’susuallykeptfrozenuntilit’sneeded.WhocandonateEachlaboratoryorbloodbankmayhavedifferentrequirementsregardingtowhocandonateplasma.Generally,donorsmust:bebetweentheagesof18to69weighatleast110poundshavenotdonatedplasmainthelast28daysThe28-dayruleallowsthedonor’sbodytohealandrepairitself.Thisprovidesabout13opportunitiestodonateplasmaperyear.IfyouliveintheUnitedStates,theAmericanRedCrosscanhelpyoufindablooddonationsite.Learnmoreaboutthesideeffectsofdonatingplasmaandimportantsafetytips.ThebottomlinePlasmaisanimportantpartofbloodthathelpswitheverythingfromregulatingbodytemperaturetofightinginfection.Nothavingenoughplasmacanhaveserioushealthconsequences,whichiswhypeoplecandonateplasmaforuseinothers.LastmedicallyreviewedonSeptember4,2018MedicallyreviewedbyJ.KeithFisher,M.D.—WrittenbyRachelNall,MSN,CRNA—UpdatedonSeptember5,2018ReadthisnextWhat’stheRarestBloodType?Bloodisalotmorecomplexthanitlooks.Learnmoreaboutthedifferenttypesofblood,includingwhichoneistherarestandtheroleofgenetics…READMOREHowMuchBloodCanYouLoseWithoutSevereSideEffects?MedicallyreviewedbyStacySampson,D.O.Youcanlosequiteabitofbloodwithoutexperiencinganysideeffectsorcomplications.Theexactamountdependsonyoursize,age,andgeneral…READMOREBloodTransfusions:WhattoExpectandHowLongTheyLastMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTREADMOREBleedingDisordersMedicallyreviewedbyElaineK.Luo,MDFindinformationonbleedingdisordersymptoms,causes,andcomplications.Learnaboutthedifferenttypesofbleedingdisordersandhowthey’re…READMOREHere’sHowYouCanSafelyDonateBloodandHelpwiththeNationwideShortageBloodbanksarereportingacriticalshortageofbloodsupplies.Theysaytheyhavesafetymeasuresinplacetomakedonorssafe.READMOREWhatIsPRP?MedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPHLearnmoreaboutplatelet-richplasma(PRP)injections,includingwhatthey'reusedfor,howmuchtheycost,andwhattoexpect.READMOREHowOftenCanYouDonatePlasma?MedicallyreviewedbyDr.SirishaYellayi,DOHowoftencanyoudonatepl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