Final answer:
The individual containers for separating portions of plasma or serum from cellular components are called aliquots. Centrifugation facilitates this separation by dividing the blood into layers, with plasma being the liquid layer on top. Serum, lacking coagulation factors, is obtained if the blood is allowed to clot prior to centrifugation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The specimens you are given to process require the separation of small portions of plasma or serum from cellular elements to individual containers called aliqouts. Plasma is the liquid component of blood and is separated by centrifugation at high speeds. After centrifugation, the blood separates into layers with the red blood cells at the bottom, a thin white layer called the buffy coat containing white blood cells and platelets above it, and the plasma as the upper liquid layer. If the blood sample is allowed to clot and centrifuged, the clear liquid that remains on top is serum, which lacks the coagulation factors present in plasma.
High-speed centrifugation is essential for this process, as it uses centrifugal forces to separate the cellular components based on their density. The procedure can be used for various applications in medicine and science, such as separating macromolecules like DNA or proteins and isolating cellular parts like organelles via cell fractionation.