Serum (blood) toxic response. Blood is centrifuged to remove cellular components. Anti-coagulated blood yields plasma containing fibrinogen and clotting factors. Coagulated blood (clotted blood) yields serum without fibrinogen, although some clotting factors remain. Serum is an essential factor for the self-renewal of embryonic stem cells in combination with the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor. The serum of convalescent patients successfully recovering (or already recovered) from an infectious disease can be used as a biopharmaceutical in the treatment of other people with that disease, because the antibodies generated by the successful recovery are potent fighters of the pathogen. Such "convalescent serum" (antiserum) is a
Blood, Sweat & Tools Blood, Sweat & Tools Blood, Sweat & Tools is a Canadian television series broadcast on Discovery Channel. The series is hosted by Helder Brum, Rob Koci and Hillary Manion, who also act as the challenge judges and expert advisers to the contestants. The series is the successor of "Canada's Worst Handyman", and has a broadly similar format, but with an emphasis on rewarding competent handiwork rather than finding the nation's worst handyman. The couples are divided into teams, who are each tasked with undertaking a number of handiwork-related challenges, with the overall goal of improving their skills and confidence. At