Plasma and serum are derived from the liquid portion of the blood, however the difference between plasma and serum is quite obvious. Read on to find out how they differ.
Blood is a fluid connective tissue that travels throughout the body carrying necessary nutrients, oxygen, and metabolic waste. It also participates in the regulation of body temperature and pH levels by interacting with acids and bases.
Blood is mainly made up of RBC (red blood cells), WBC (white blood cells), plasma, and serum. Plasma and serum are the main components of blood and are used routinely in blood group analysis experiments to determine the blood group of the patient. what is the difference between serum and plasma
Plasma and serum can be separated by centrifugation of blood on the basis of weight, size, and density. Serum is the fluid that is obtained after allowing the blood to clot, while plasma is obtained after treating the blood with anticoagulant compounds.
Difference between plasma and serum
Serum and plasma are obtained from the liquid portion of the blood that is obtained when cells are collected. However, there is a notable difference between plasma and serum. Serum is the fluid that remains after blood clotting. Whereas, plasma is the liquid that remains when anticoagulant is added to prevent clotting. what is the difference between serum and plasma
Difference between plasma and serum By comparison table
Below are the important differences between plasma and serum:
| Plasma | Serum |
| Straw-colored transparent liquid portion of blood. | An undiluted fluid, the extracellular portion of blood. |
| It is made up of serum and clotting factor. | It is the part of the blood that lacks clotting factor. |
| It is acquired after centrifuging blood with the anticoagulant. | It is acquired after centrifuging coagulated blood. |
| Anticoagulant is required to obtain plasma from the blood sample. | Anticoagulant is not required to separate serum from blood sample. |
| It consists of 55% of the total blood volume. | Lower volume compared to plasma. |
| Comparatively easier and less time is required to separate plasma from blood sample. | Difficult to separate serum from blood sample. It is a time consuming process. |
| Contains fibrinogen. | It lacks fibrinogen. |
| It consists of 92% water with proteins, salts, lipids and glucose. | It consists of 90% water with dissolved hormones, proteins, minerals and carbon dioxide. |
| It has a density of 1.025 g / ml | It has a density of 1,024 g / ml. |
| It has a long service life. It can be kept for up to ten years. | It has a short shelf life. It can only be kept for a few months. |
| Plasma is the main medium for the transport of excretory products. | An important source of electrolytes. |
| Cells are freely suspended in plasma. | Cells stick together by forming clots. |
| This is the liquid, cell-free part of the blood. If red blood cells and white blood cells are removed from a blood sample, what remains would be the plasma. Plasma is the main component of blood, representing up to 55% of the total volume. | As for the serum, this is the remaining blood component once the clotting process has taken place. It can be said, in fact, that it is the equivalent or the remainder of plasma but without the substances that allow coagulation to occur. |
| Fibrinogen is a protein that is essential for blood clotting. Plasma contains this substance in addition to other clotting agents. | Blood serum, on the other hand, is blood plasma that no longer contains fibrinogen or any other clotting agents. |
What is the main difference?
- The plasma is the fluid fraction in blood cells and formed elements of the blood are transported. It is obtained by centrifuging a blood sample adding anticoagulant agents (heparin, EDTA, etc). If anticoagulant agents are not added, the fluid obtained is not plasma but blood serum.
- The fibrinogen is present in blood plasma but not in serum. This is the main difference between the two.
- Plasma is easily obtained by centrifuging a blood sample with anticoagulants. Serum is obtained by centrifugation once the blood has clotted and is slightly more difficult to obtain.
- Plasma represents approximately 55% of the volume of a blood sample and its density is 1,025 g / ml. The serum represents slightly less volume and its density is slightly lower, 1,024 g / ml.
Differences between plasma and serum. Its importance in the covid-19 pandemic Dr. Mónica Gamba. Dentist and hemotherapy technician
Plasma is the liquid transport of blood elements, red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, it is composed of 90% water, mineral salts, proteins, vitamins, metabolic waste products, oxygen and Antibodies. Serum is our plasma without clotting factors, it is what we obtain after generating the blood clot.
Antibodies, which are proteins present in plasma, have been used in viral outbreaks such as for example. in our country, with the Hemorrhage Fever. It is currently being used for COVID -19. the plasma of patients who suffered from the virus disease and developed antibodies against it. These Antibodies are IGMs.
The plasma used is obtained by AFERESIS, a method by which the patient’s plasma is separated and the rest of the blood elements are reinfused to the donor.
What is sought with plasma transfusion is NOT to cure the disease but to neutralize the virus, either so that it does not enter the cell or remove it if it has been infected.
The treatment is experimental and tends to reduce complications, so far because there is no medication for the virus, or a vaccine, the immunization of the patient can be slow against it, so the use of plasma from convalescent patients is therapeutics at this time.
Normal laboratory values of blood, plasma and serum
Study |
Show |
Conventional units |
SI units |
| Acetoacetate | Plasma | <1 mg / dL | <0.1 mmol / L |
| Acetylcholinesterase (ACE), RBC | Blood | 26.7 to 49.2 U / g Hb | – |
| Acid phosphatase | Serum | 0.5-5.5 U / L | 0–0.9 mckat / L |
| Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) | Plasma | 25-36 s | – |
| Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) | Serum | 9–52 pg / mL (morning sample) | 2–11 pmol / L (morning sample) |
| Albumin | Serum | 3.5 to 5.4 g / dL | 35-54 g / L |
| Aldosterone | |||
| Standing | Serum | 7-20 ng / dL | 194-554 pmol / L |
| Supine | Serum | 2-5 ng / dL | 55-138 pmol / L |
| Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) | Serum | 36–150 U / L | 0.5–2.5 mckat / L |
| Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) | Serum | 83 to 199 mg / dL | 15.3-36.6 mcmol / L |
| Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) | Serum | 0-20 ng / dL | 0-20 pg / L |
| Δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) | Serum | 15-23 mcg / L | 1.14-1.75 mcmol / L |
| Aminotransferase, Alanine (ALT) | Serum | 0-35 U / L | 0-0.58 pkat / L |
| Aminotransferase, aspartate (AST) | Serum | 0-35 U / L | 0-0.58 pkat / L |
| Ammonia | Plasma | 40-80 mcg / dL | 23-47 mcmol / L |
| Amylase | Serum | 0-130 U / L | 0–2.17 mckat / L |
| Antibodies against extractable nuclear antigen (AENA) | Serum | <20.0 units | – |
| Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies | Serum | ≤ 5.0 units | – |
| Antidiuretic hormone (ADH; arginine vasopressin) | Plasma | <1.7 pg / mL | <1.57 pmol / L |
| Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies, IgG | Serum | <25 IU | – |
| M2 antimitochondrial antibodies | Serum | <0.1 units | – |
| Cytoplasmic Antineutrophil Antibodies (cANCA) | Serum | Negative | – |
| Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) | Serum | ≤ 1.0 unit | – |
| Anti-smooth muscle antibody titer (ASMA) | Serum | ≤ 1:80 | – |
| Antistreptolysin O titer | Serum | <150 units | – |
| Antithyroid microsomal antibody titer | Serum | <1: 100 | – |
| alpha 1 -Antitrypsin (AAT) | Serum | 83 to 199 mg / dL | 15.3-36.6 mcmol / L |
| Apolipoproteins: | |||
| AI, women | Serum | 98 – 210 mg / dL | 0.98 – 2.1 g / L |
| AI, males | Serum | 88 – 180 mg / dL | 0.88 to 1.8 g / L |
| B-100, women | Serum | 44 – 148 mg / dL | 0.44 to 1.48 g / L |
| B-100, males | Serum | 55–151 mg / dL | 0.55 to 1.51 g / L |
| Baking soda | Serum | 23-28 mEq / L | 23-28 mmol / L |
| Bilirubin: | |||
| Direct | Serum | 0-0.3 mg / dL | 0–5.1 mcmol / L |
| Total | Serum | 0.3–1.2 mg / dL | 5.1-20.5 mcmol / L |
| Blood volumes (radioisotope labeled): | |||
| Plasma, women * | Blood | 28-43 mL / kg of body weight | 0.028 – 0.043 L / kg of body weight |
| Plasma, male * | Blood | 25-44 mL / kg of body weight | 0.025-0.044 L / kg of body weight |
| Red blood cells, female * | Blood | 20-30 mL / kg of body weight | 0.02-0.03 L / kg of body weight |
| Red blood cells, male * | Blood | 25-35 mL / kg of body weight | 0.025-0.035 L / kg of body weight |
| Brain natriuretic peptide (type B) | Plasma | <100 pg / mL | – |
| Calcitonin, age ≥ 16 years: | |||
| Women | Serum | <8 pg / mL | – |
| Males | Serum | <16 pg / mL | – |
| Calcium | Serum | 9-10.5 mg / dL | 2.2 to 2.6 mmol / L |
| Cancer Antigen (CA): | |||
| CA 125 | Serum | <35 U / mL | – |
| CA 15-3 | Serum | <30 U / mL | – |
| Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) content | Serum | 23-28 mEq / L | 23-28 mmol / L |
| Carbon dioxide partial pressure (P CO 2 ) | Blood | 35-45 mmHg | – |
| Carboxyhemoglobin | Plasma | 0.5–5% | – |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) | Serum | <2 ng / mL | <2 mcg / L |
| Carotene | Serum | 75–300 mcg / L | 1.4-5.6 mcmol / L |
| CD4: CD8 ratio | Blood | 1–4 | – |
| CD4 + T cell count | Blood | 640-1175 / mcL | 0.64 to 1.18 x 10 9 / L |
| CD8 + T cell count | Blood | 335-875 / mcL | 0.34 – 0.88 x 10 9 / L |
| Ceruloplasmin | Serum | 25- 43 mg / dL | 250-430 mg / L |
| Chloride | Serum | 98-106 mEq / L | 98-106 mmol / L |
| Cholesterol, desirable level: | |||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) | Plasma | ≥ 40 mg / dL | ≥ 1.04 mmol / L |
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) | Plasma | ≤ 130 mg / dL | ≤ 3.36 mmol / L |
| Total (TC) | Plasma | 150-199 mg / dL | 3.88 to 5.15 mmol / L |
| Clotting factors: | |||
| Factor I | Plasma | 150–300 mg / dL | 1.5-3.5 g / L |
| Factor II | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Factor IX | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Factor V | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Factor VII | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Factor VIII | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| X Factor | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Factor XI | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Factor XII | Plasma | 60-150% of normal | – |
| Complement: | |||
| C3 | Serum | 55-120 mg / dL | 0.55 to 1.20 g / L |
| C4 | Serum | 20–59 mg / dL | 0.20 to 0.59 g / L |
| Total | Serum | 37-55 U / mL | 37-55 kU / L |
| Copper | Serum | 70-155 mcg / L | 11 – 24.3 mcmol / L |
| Cortisol: | |||
| 1 h after cosyntropin | Serum | > 18 mcg / dL and usually ≥ 8 mcg / dL above baseline | > 498 nmol / L and usually ≥ 221 nmol / L above baseline |
| At 5 pm | Serum | 3-13 mcg / dL | 83 – 359 nmol / L |
| At 8 am | Serum | 8-20 mcg / dL | 251-552 nmol / L |
| After night suppression test | Serum | <5 mcg / dL | <138 nmol / L |
| peptide C | Serum | 0.9 – 4.3 ng / mL | 297-1419 pmol / L |
| C-reactive protein (CRP) | Serum | <0.5 mg / dL | <0.005 g / L |
| Highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) | Serum | <1.1 mg / L | <0.0011 g / L |
| Creatine kinase (CK) | Serum | 30-170 U / L | 0.5 to 2.83 mckat / L |
| Creatinine | Serum | 0.7-1.3 mg / dL | 61.9-115 mcmol / L |
| D- dimer | Plasma | ≤ 300 ng / mL | ≤ 300 mcg / L |
| Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S): | |||
| Women | Plasma | 0.6 to 3.3 mg / mL | 1.6-8.9 mcmol / L |
| Males | Plasma | 1.3 to 5.5 mg / mL | 3.5-14.9 mcmol / L |
| Δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) | Serum | 15-23 mcg / L | 1.14-1.75 mcmol / L |
| 11-deoxycortisol (DOC): | |||
| After metyrapone | Plasma | > 7 mcg / dL | > 203 nmol / L |
| Basal | Plasma | <5 mcg / dL | <145 nmol / L |
| Level d -Xylose 2 hours after ingestion of 25 g of d -xylose | Serum | > 20 mg / dL | > 1.3 nmol / L |
| Epinephrine, supine | Plasma | <75 ng / L | <410 pmol / L |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate | |||
| Blood | 0-20 mm / h | 0-20 mm / h | |
| Women | |||
| Blood | 0-15 mm / h | 0-20 mm / h | |
| Males | |||
| Erythropoietin | Serum | 4.0 to 18.5 mIU / mL | 4.0 to 18.5 IU / L |
| Estradiol , women: | |||
| Day 1-10 of the menstrual cycle | Serum | 14-27 pg / mL | 50-100 pmol / L |
| Day 11 – 20 of the menstrual cycle | Serum | 14-54 pg / mL | 50-200 pmol / L |
| Day 21 to 30 of the menstrual cycle | Serum | 19-40 pg / mL | 70-150 pmol / L |
| Estradiol , males | Serum | 10-30 pg / mL | 37-110 pmol / L |
| Ferritin: | |||
| Women | Serum | 30–200 ng / mL | 30–200 mcg / L |
| Males | Serum | 30–300 ng / mL | 30–300 mcg / L |
| alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) | Serum | 0-20 ng / dL | 0-20 pg / L |
| Fibrinogen | Plasma | 150-350 mg / dL | 1.5-3.5 g / L |
| Folate (folic acid): | |||
| Erythrocytes | Blood | 160-855 ng / mL | 362-1937 nmol / L |
| Serum | Serum | 2.5–20 ng / mL | 5.7 to 45.3 nmol / L |
| Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), women | |||
| Follicular or luteal phase | Serum | 5-20 mU / mL | 5-20 U / L |
| Mid-cycle peak | Serum | 30-50 mU / mL | 30-50 U / L |
| Postmenopausal | Serum | > 35 mU / mL | > 35 U / L |
| Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Adult Men | Serum | 5-15 mU / mL | 5-15 U / L |
| Fructosamine | Plasma | 200-285 mol / L | – |
| Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) | Serum | 8-78 U / L | – |
| Gastrine | Serum | 0-180 pg / mL | 0-180 ng / L |
| Globulins: | Serum | 2.5 to 3.5 g / dL | 25-35 g / L |
| Alpha-1 globulins | Serum | 0.2-0.4 g dL | 2 – 4 g / L |
| Alpha-2 globulins | Serum | 0.5-0.9 g / dL | 5-9 g / L |
| Beta globulins | Serum | 0.6 – 1.1 g / dL | 6–11 g / L |
| Beta-2 microglobulin | Serum | 0.7 – 1.8 mcg / mL | – |
| Gamma globulins | Serum | 0.7 – 1.7 g / dL | 7 – 17 g / L |
| Glucose: | |||
| 2-h postprandial | Plasma | <140 mg / dL | <7.8 mmol / L |
| Fast | Plasma | 70-105 mg / dL | 3.9 – 5.8 mmol / L |
| Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) | Blood | 5-15 U / g Hb | 0.32-0.97 mU / mol Hb |
| Gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) | Serum | 8-78 U / L | – |
| Growth hormone | |||
| After oral glucose | Plasma | <2 ng / mL | <2 mcg / L |
| In response to provocative stimulus | Plasma | > 7 ng / mL | > 7 mcg / L |
| Haptoglobin | Serum | 30-200 mg / dL | 300-2000 mg / L |
| Hematocrit: | |||
| Women | Blood | 36–47% | – |
| Males | Blood | 41–51% | – |
| Hemoglobin: | |||
| Women | Blood | 12-16 g / dL | 120-160 g / L |
| Males | Blood | 14-17 g / dL | 140-170 g / L |
| Hemoglobin A 1c | Blood | 4.7–8.5% | – |
| Hemoglobin electrophoresis, adults: | |||
| Hb A 1 | Blood | 95–98% | – |
| Hb A 2 | Blood | 2–3% | – |
| Hb C | Blood | 0% | – |
| Hb F | Blood | 0.8–2.0% | – |
| Hb S | Blood | 0% | – |
| Hemoglobin electrophoresis, Hb F in children: | |||
| Neonate | Blood | 50–80% | – |
| 1-6 months | Blood | 8% | – |
| > 6 months | Blood | 1–2% | – |
| Homocysteine: | |||
| Women | Plasma | 0.40 to 1.89 mg / L | 3-14 mcmol / L |
| Males | Plasma | 0.54 to 2.16 mg / L | 4–16 mcmol / L |
| Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), quantitative | Serum | <5 mIU / mL | – |
| Immunoglobulins: | |||
| IgA | Serum | 70-300 mg / dL | 0.7 to 3.0 g / L |
| IgD | Serum | <8 mg / dL | <80 mg / L |
| IgE | Serum | 0.01 – 0.04 mg / dL | 0.1-0.4 mg / L |
| IgG | Serum | 640–1430 mg / dL | 6.4 to 14.3 g / L |
| IgG 1 | Serum | 280-1020 mg / dL | 2.8 – 10.2 g / L |
| IgG 2 | Serum | 60–790 mg / dL | 0.6 – 7.9 g / L |
| IgG 3 | Serum | 14-240 mg / dL | 0.14 – 2.4 g / L |
| IgG 4 | Serum | 11 – 330 mg / dL | 0.11 – 3.3 g / L |
| IgM | Serum | 20–140 mg / dL | 0.2 – 1.4 g / L |
| Insulin, fasting | Serum | 1.4–14 mcIU / mL | 10-104 pmol / L |
| IIN (international normalized index): | |||
| Therapeutic range (standard intensity therapy) | Plasma | 2.0-3.0 | – |
| Therapeutic range in patients at increased risk (eg, patients with prosthetic heart valves) | Plasma | 2.5-3.5 | – |
| Therapeutic range in patients with anticoagulant lupus | Plasma | 3.0-3.5 | – |
| Iron | Serum | 60-160 mcg / dL | 11–29 mcmol / L |
| Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) | Serum | 250-460 mcg / dL | 45–82 mcmol / L |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) | Serum | 60-160 U / L | 1–1.67 mckat / L |
| Lactic acid, venous | Blood | 6-16 mg / dL | 0.67 to 1.8 mmol / L |
| Lactose tolerance test | Plasma | > 15 mg / dL increase in plasma glucose level | > 0.83 mmol / L increase in plasma glucose level |
| Lead | Blood | <40 mcg / dL | <1.9 mcmol / L |
| Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) | Peripheral blood smear | 13-130 / 100 / polymorphonuclear (PMN) neutrophilic leukocytes and bands | – |
| Lipase | Serum | <95 U / L | <1.58 mckat / L |
| Lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] | Serum | ≤ 30 mg / dL | <1.1 mcmol / L |
| Luteinizing hormone (LH), women: | |||
| Follicular or luteal phase | Serum | 5-22 mU / mL | 5-22 U / L |
| Mid-cycle peak | Serum | 30-250 mU / mL | 30-250 U / L |
| Postmenopausal | Serum | > 30 mU / mL | > 30 U / L |
| Luteinizing hormone, males | Serum | 3-15 mU / mL | 3-15 U / L |
| Magnesium | Serum | 1.5 to 2.4 mg / dL | 0.62-0.99 mmol / L |
| Manganese | Serum | 0.3-0.9 ng / mL | 5.5 – 16.4 nmol / L |
| Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) | Blood | 28-32 pg | – |
| Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) | Blood | 32-36 g / dL | 320-360 g / L |
| Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) | Blood | 80-100 fL | – |
| Metanephrines, fractionated: | |||
| Metanephrines, free | Plasma | <0.50 nmol / L | – |
| Normetanephrines, free | Plasma | <0.90 nmol / L | – |
| Methemoglobin | Blood | <1.0% | – |
| Methylmalonic acid | Serum | 150-370 nmol / L | – |
| Anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies (MPO) | Serum | <6.0 U / mL | – |
| Myoglobin: | |||
| Women | Serum | 25-58 mcg / L | 1.4 to 3.5 nmol / L |
| Males | Serum | 28–72 mcg / L | 1.6 to 4.1 nmol / L |
| Noradrenaline, supine position | Plasma | 50-440 pg / mL | 0.3 – 2.6 nmol / L |
| N-terminal propeptide BNP (NT-proBNP) | Plasma | <125 pg / mL | – |
| 5′-Nucleotidase (5’NT) | Serum | 4-11.5 U / L | – |
| Osmolality | Plasma | 275-295 mOsm / kg H 2 O | 275-295 mmol / kg H 2 O |
| Osmotic brittleness test | Blood | Increased brittleness if there is hemolysis in sodium chloride> 0.5% | – |
| Decreased brittleness if there is incomplete hemolysis in 0.3% sodium chloride | |||
| Oxygen partial pressure (PO 2 ) | Blood | 80-100 mmHg | – |
| Parathyroid hormone (PTH) | Serum | 10-65 pg / mL | 10-65 ng / L |
| Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) | Plasma | <2.0 pmol / L | – |
| Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) | Plasma | 25-35 s | – |
| pH | Blood | 7.38–7.44 | – |
| Inorganic phosphorus | Serum | 3.0-4.5 mg / dL | 0.97 – 1.45 mmol / L |
| Platelet count | Blood | 150–350 x 10 3 / mcL | 150-350 x 10 9 / L |
| Platelet life time, using chromium-51 ( 51 Cr) | – | 8-12 days | – |
| Porphyrins | Plasma | ≤ 1.0 mcg / dL | – |
| Potassium | Serum | 3.5–5 mEq / L | 3.5-5 mmol / L |
| Prealbumin (transthyretin) | Serum | 18–45 mg / dL | – |
| Progesterone: | |||
| Follicular phase | Serum | <1 ng / mL | <0.03 nmol / L |
| Luteal phase | Serum | 3–30 ng / mL | 0.1 – 0.95 nmol / L |
| Prolactin: | |||
| Women (not pregnant) | Serum | <20 mcg / L | <870 pmol / L |
| Males | Serum | <15 mcg / L | <652 pmol / L |
| Prostate specific antigen, total (PSA-T) | Serum | 0-4 ng / mL | – |
| Prostate-specific antigen, free / total ratio (PSA-F: PSA-T) | Serum | > 0.25 | – |
| Protein C activity | Plasma | 67–131% | – |
| Activated protein C resistance (APC-R) | Plasma | 2.2-2.6 | – |
| Protein S activity | Plasma | 82–144% | – |
| Protein, total | Serum | 6-7.8 g / dL | 60-78 g / L |
| Prothrombin time (PT) | Plasma | 11–13 s | – |
| Pyruvic acid | Blood | 0.08 – 0.16 mmol / L | – |
| Red blood cell count | Blood | 4.2 to 5.9 x 10 6 cells / mcL | 4.2 to 5.9 x 10 12 cells / L |
| Survival rate of red blood cells, using 51 Cr | Blood | T 1/2 = 28 days | – |
| Renin activity, plasma (PRA), upright, in men and women aged 18 to 39 years: | |||
| Sodium depletion | Plasma | 2.9 – 24 ng / mL / h | – |
| Sodium Replenishment | Plasma | 0.6 (or less) –4.3 ng / mL / h | – |
| Reticulocyte count | |||
| Percentage | Blood | 0.5–1.5% | – |
| Absolute | Blood | 23-90 x 10 3 / mcL | 23-90 x 10 9 / L |
| Rheumatoid factor (RF), by nephrelometry | Serum | <40 U / mL | <40 kU / L |
| Sodium | Serum | 136-145 mEq / L | 136-145 mmol / L |
| Testosterone (total), adults: | |||
| Women | Serum | 20–75 ng / dL | 0.7 – 2.6 nmol / L |
| Males | Serum | 300–1200ng / dL | 10-42 nmol / L |
| Thrombin time | Plasma | 18.5-24 s | – |
| Thyroid uptake of iodine-123 ( 123 I) | – | 5-30% of the dose administered at 24 h | – |
| Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) | Serum | 0.5–5.0 mcUI / mL | 0.5-5.0 mIU / L |
| Thyroxine (T 4 ): | |||
| Free | Serum | 0.9-2.4 ng / dL | 12-31 pmol / L |
| Free index | – | 4–11 | – |
| Total | Serum | 5-12 mcg / dL | 64 – 155 nmol / L |
| Transferrin | Serum | 212-360 mg / dL | 2.1 to 3.6 g / L |
| Transferrin saturation | Serum | 20–50% | – |
| Triglycerides (fasting) | Serum | <250 mg / dL | <2.82 mmol / L |
| Triiodothyronine (T 3 ): | |||
| Catchment | Serum | 25–35% | – |
| Total | Serum | 70 – 195 ng / dL | 1.1 to 3.0 nmol / L |
| Troponin I | Plasma | <0.1 ng / mL | <0.1 mcg / L |
| Troponin T | Serum | ≤ 0.03 ng / mL | ≤ 0.03 mcg / L |
| Ureic nitrogen | Serum | 8-20 mg / dL | 2.9 to 7.1 mmol / L |
| Uric acid | Serum | 2.5-8 mg / dL | 0.15-0.47 mmol / L |
| Vitamin B 12 | Serum | 200–800 pg / mL | 148-590 pmol / L |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | |||
| Leukocytes | Blood | <20 mg / dL | <1,136 mcmol / L |
| Total | Blood | 0.4-1.5 mg / dL | 23–85 mcmol / L |
| Vitamin D: | |||
| 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol ( calcitriol ) | Serum | 25–65 pg / mL | 65-169 pmol / L |
| 25-hydroxycholecalciferol | Serum | 15–80 ng / mL | 37 – 200 nmol / L |
| White blood cell count | Blood | 4.5–11 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 4.5–11 x 10 9 cells / L |
| Segmented neutrophils | 2.6–8.5 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 2.6–8.5 x 10 9 cells / L | |
| Band neutrophils | 0-1.2 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 0-1.2 x 10 9 cells / L | |
| Lymphocytes | 0.77–4.5 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 0.77–4.5 x 10 9 cells / L | |
| Monocytes | 0.14–1.3 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 0.14–1.3 x 10 9 cells / L | |
| Eosinophils | 0-0.55 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 0–0.55 x 10 9 cells / L | |
| Basophils | 0-0.22 x 10 3 cells / mcL | 0-0.22 x 10 9 cells / L | |
| Zinc | Serum | 66-110 mcg / dL | 10.1–16.8 mcmol / L |
* American Board of Internal Medicine : ABIM Laboratory Test Reference Ranges ̶ January 2018. Accessed 8/25/18.
Frequent Questions
What are the advantages of plasma over serum? what is the difference between serum and plasma
Plasma contains the most widely used anticoagulant heparin. It acts through a complex that forms with antithrombin-III. Antithrombin III is a protein that prevents blood clotting.
What is serum?
what is the difference between serum and plasma
Serum is the plasma from which clotting factors have been removed. what is the difference between serum and plasma
What is the difference between blood and plasma? what is the difference between serum and plasma
Plasma is the translucent part of the blood that is not red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and other cellular components. Helps blood clot and is made up of 90% water.
How is plasma collected from the body?
Collecting plasma is time consuming. It takes about an hour to collect plasma from the body. Blood is drawn from the body with the help of a needle placed in the arm, and the plasma is separated from the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. what is the difference between serum and plasma
How is serum taken from the blood?
To separate the serum from the blood, it must be centrifuged at 1600 g for 10 minutes at room temperature. These factors reduce platelet contamination. You should grab the serum that is on top of the centrifuged tube and avoid grabbing the gel or clot.
Why is serum testing done?
Serum is made to measure the amount of protein albumin in the blood. When the kidney begins to fail, albumin begins to leak into the urine. The serum test helps diagnose liver and kidney abnormalities. what is the difference between serum and plasma
What is blood serum? what is the difference between serum and plasma
The hematic serum or blood serum is the result of allowing it to clot and eliminate the clot. It is an equivalent to blood plasma, but without involving the proteins seen in coagulation (fibrinogen). what is the difference between serum and plasma
What are the proteins found in the blood?
- Globulins
- Fibrinogen
- Albumins
- Lipoproteins.
What components does the serum have?
It contains electrolytes, water and other substances such as carbon and some expanding polysaccharides.
What is blood plasma and what is it for?
As mentioned, plasma is a substance rich in platelets so it is very useful in the medical field. In the orthopedic area, it is used for plastic and dental surgery, it also serves in the field of dermatology, its efficiency is given by its capacity in wound healing and skin rejuvenation.
What is the composition of the blood?
Blood in the human adult body is distributed as follows: 4.5 and 6 liters of blood. 55% is plasma and 45% is red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.