Final answer:
The clear part of whole blood containing clotting agents is called plasma, which carries coagulation factors and antibodies needed for blood clotting and immune defense.
Step-by-step explanation:
The clear part of whole blood that contains clotting agents is known as plasma. Plasma is a yellowish, watery liquid component of blood that is separated from blood cells and platelets by centrifuging the blood at high speeds. This process causes blood cells and platelets to settle at the bottom of a specimen tube, leaving the plasma as the upper liquid layer.
Plasma consists of about 90 percent water, but it also contains important substances required for maintaining the body's pH, osmotic load, and protection against pathogens. Along with these substances, plasma is responsible for carrying coagulation factors and antibodies throughout the body.
Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small, sticky cell fragments formed in the bone marrow and play a critical role in the blood clotting process. When a vessel is injured, platelets collect at the site in conjunction with other clotting factors like fibrinogen to form a fibrin clot, which acts as a plug to prevent blood loss and allows the wound to heal.
It should be noted that when plasma is devoid of clotting factors, it is referred to as serum. Serum still contains antibodies and other important components but lacks the coagulation factors that are essential for the clotting process.