blood plasma blood plasma blood plasma is a light amber-colored liquid component of blood in which blood cells are absent, but which contains proteins and other constituents of whole blood in suspension. it makes up about 55% of the body's total blood volume. it is the intravascular part of extracellular fluid (all body fluid outside cells). it is mostly water (up to 95% by volume), and contains important dissolved proteins (6–8%; e.g., serum albumins, globulins, and fibrinogen), glucose, clotting factors, electrolytes (na+, ca2+, mg2+, hco3−, cl−, etc.), hormones, carbon dioxide (plasma being the main medium for excretory product transportation), and oxygen. it plays a vital role in an intravascular osmotic effect that keeps electrolyte concentration balanced and protects the body from infection and other blood-related disorders. a unit of donated fresh plasma blood plasma is separated from the blood by spinning a vessel of fresh blood containing an anticoagulant in a centrifuge until the blood cells fall to the bottom of the tube. the blood plasma is then poured or drawn off. for point-of-care testing applications, plasma can be extracted from whole blood via filtration or via agglutination to allow for rapid testing of specific biomarkers. blood plasma has a density of approximately 1,025 kg/m3 (1.025 g/ml). blood serum is blood plasma without clotting factors. plasmapheresis is a medical therapy that involves blood plasma extraction, treatment, and reintegration. fresh frozen plasma is on the who model list of essential medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system. it is of critical importance in the treatment of many types of trauma which result in blood loss, and is therefore kept stocked universally in all medical facilities capable of treating trauma (e.g., trauma centers, hospitals, and ambulances) or that pose a risk of patient blood loss such as surgical suite facilities. volume reference ranges for blood tests, showing normal mass concentration of blood plasma constituents.the same information, shown in molarity rather than mass. blood plasma volume may be expanded by or drained to extravascular fluid when there are changes in starling forces across capillary walls. for example, when blood pressure drops in circulatory shock, starling forces drive fluid into the interstitium, causing third spacing. standing still for a prolonged period will cause an increase in transcapillary hydrostatic pressure. as a result, approximately 12% of blood plasma volume will cross into the extravascular compartment. this plasma shift causes an increase in hematocrit, serum total protein, blood viscosity and, as a result of increased concentration of coagulation factors, it causes orthostatic hypercoagulability. plasma proteins albumins main article: serum albumin serum albumins are the most common plasma proteins and they are responsible for maintaining the osmotic pressure of blood. without albumins, the consistency of blood would be closer to that of water. the increased viscosity of blood prevents fluid from entering the bloodstream from outside the capillaries. albumins are produced in the liver assuming the absence of a hepatocellular deficiency. globulins the second most common type of protein in the blood plasma are globulins. important globulins include immunoglobins which are important for the immune system and transport hormones and other compounds around the body. there are three main types of globulins. alpha-1 and alpha-2 globulins are formed in the liver and play an important role in mineral transport and the inhibition of blood coagulation. an example of beta globulin found in blood plasma includes low-density lipoproteins (ldl) which are responsible for transporting fat to the cells for steroid and membrane synthesis. gamma globulin, better known as immunoglobulins, are produced by plasma b cells, and provides the human body with a defense system against invading pathogens and other immune diseases. fibrinogen main article: fibrinogen fibrinogen proteins make up most of the remaining proteins in the blood. fibrinogens are responsible for clotting blood to help prevent blood loss. color