What Is Plasma

What is plasma? The blood is made red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and a yellow substance called plasma. This blood plasma has vital functions against bleeding and infections.


You cannot see the color of plasma in the blood because the red blood cells contain a pigment called hemoglobin and this gives the blood its red color. During a blood plasma transfusion the fluid inside the bag is of a clear yellowish color.

Blood plasma contains 91.5% water. It also contains proteins such as albumin, immunoglobins and fibrinogen. Immunoglobins are also called antibodies. Other plasma components are nutrients, enzymes, hormones, and nitrogenous waste products. It also contains sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and bicarbonate. (1)

The nutrients found in plasma are aminoacids, glucose, fatty acids, and glycerol. (1)

The waste products include creatinine, uric acid and ammonium salts where they are transported from tissues to the kidneys where they are filtered and are excreted in the urine. (1)

Your kidneys must be working properly in order to get rid of these waste products. If they do not do the job correctly, these "poisons" will accumulate in your system and will create serious consequences to your body.

1. Science.jrank.org, “blood – plasma.” Available at http://science.jrank.org/pages/964/Blood-Plasma.html. Accessed December 30, 2008