Final answer:
The statement is false; the liquid portion of a specimen collected in a tube with EDTA is plasma, not serum. Serum is obtained after blood has clotted and the clot has been removed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is false. The liquid portion of a specimen collected in a tube containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is plasma, not serum. EDTA is an anticoagulant that preserves blood cells and plasma proteins by binding calcium, which prevents clotting. Thus, when EDTA-treated blood is centrifuged, the liquid portion—plasma—can be collected without the clotting factors having been activated. Serum, on the other hand, is the liquid part of the blood obtained after clotting has occurred. So, if a lab technician collects a blood sample in a glass tube and lets it sit, the blood will clot over time, and the serum can then be harvested, which is the liquid part that remains after the clot has formed and been removed.