Final answer:
Blood plasma is the liquid part of human blood that constitutes about 55% of its volume, composed primarily of water, proteins, and other dissolved substances. It plays essential roles including transport of materials and maintaining pH. Plasma differs from serum, the latter being devoid of clotting factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood plasma is the liquid component of human blood, constituting about 55 percent of its total volume. Plasma is a golden-yellow fluid that remains after the removal of blood cells and is composed of about 92 percent water. The remaining 8 percent consists of dissolved substances, which include a variety of proteins, glucose, mineral ions, hormones, carbon dioxide, and other components. These proteins are crucial for blood clotting, immune system responses, and other vital bodily functions.
Plasma not only provides the medium in which blood cells and platelets are suspended but also plays a pivotal role in maintaining the body's pH balance, osmotic load, and transport of substances such as nutrients, waste products, and antibodies throughout the body.
It is important to note that plasma is distinct from serum, which is plasma with the coagulation factors removed. Serum is obtained after the blood has clotted and is centrifuged, separating the solid clot from the liquid serum that does not contain clotting proteins.