Difference Between Plasma and Serum

The difference between plasma and serum is certainly an important distinction in the field of biology and medical science.  Furthermore, plasma refers to a fluid that has clotting factors. In contrast, serum refers to fluid from the blood that is devoid of clotting factors.

Definition of Plasma

Plasma refers to the liquid part of blood and it forms more than half of the blood. Furthermore, there is a suspension of platelets and white blood cells in the plasma. Moreover, plasma comprises of water, proteins, sugars, mineral salts, hormones, fats, and vitamins.

Definition of Serum              

Serum refers to a portion of the plasma that remains after the coagulation of blood takes place. Another way of defining serum is as blood plasma without the presence of fibrinogens. Moreover, serum consists of all the proteins, antibodies, electrolytes, hormones, antigens, and exogenous substances whose use does not take place in blood clotting.

Difference Between Plasma and Serum

Important difference between plasma and serum

Parameter	Plasma	Serum
Definition	Clear and yellowish fluid component of blood	Liquid portion of blood that remains after the coagulation
Clotting Agents	It is the blood fluid that has clotting agents	It is the water fluid that does not has clotting agents
Acquiring Process	The acquiring of plasma takes place from the spinning process before clotting	The acquiring of serum takes place from the spinning process after clotting
Volume	A clear yellow liquid which forms more than half of the blood’s total volume	Its volume is less in comparison to the volume of plasma
Anticoagulants	Anticoagulants are a necessity in order to separate plasma	The serum does not require anticoagulants for separation
Composition	It contains red blood cells, white blood cells, and several other blood components	It contains antibodies, antigens, proteins, electrolytes, and hormones
Fibrinogen	Present	Absent
Storage	Storage of frozen plasma can take place for a year	Storage of serum can take place at 2-6 degrees centigrade for a duration of several days
Arrangement	The attachment of cells is not together	The attachment of cells together is usually by clot formation

More Details about Plasma

The difference between blood and plasma is that plasma is the liquid part of the blood. Furthermore, one of its roles is to keep the blood pressure in a healthy range. Moreover, plasma is responsible for carrying important nutrients, minerals, proteins, and hormones to the necessary places of the body.

Plasma is certainly the biggest part of the blood, forming 55% of it. In spite of the colour of blood appearing red, the plasma is of a pale yellow colour. Also, the formation of plasma is such that it is 90% water.

Plasma also consists of various enzymes and salts. Furthermore, plasma has antibodies that are effective in fighting infections and diseases. Moreover, Plasma helps carry nutrients, hormones, and proteins, to the various cells present in the body.

More Details about Serum

Serum refers to the solute component of blood which has no role in blood clotting. Furthermore, serum is an important source of electrolytes and is the most preferable part of blood during the checking of blood groups. Moreover, the use of serum takes place for various types of diagnostic tests for determining the level of proteins, cholesterol, sugar etc in the blood.

The serum of convalescent patients, displaying signs of a successful recovering, is useful in the treatment of that particular disease in other people. The reason for this is because the generation of antibodies by successful recovery serves as powerful fighters against the pathogen.

Blood serum and plasma happen to be the largest sources of biomarkers. There is the complication of its vast dynamic range due to salts, lipids, multiple mechanisms of degradation, and post-translational modifications.

FAQs about Plasma and Serum

Question 1: What is the chief difference between plasma and serum?

Answer 1: The most important difference between plasma and serum has to do clotting. Furthermore, plasma is the liquid that is found remaining when the prevention of clotting happens and after adding an anticoagulant. In contrast, serum is the liquid that is found remaining after the blood clotting has taken place.

Question 2: How fibrinogen brings out the difference between plasma and serum?

Answer 2: Fibrinogen brings out the difference plasma and serum as it is present only in plasma.

References:

Wikipedia Blood plasma

Wikipedia Serum (blood)