Lab Technicians Interview Question:

What is the difference between plasma and serum?

Submitted by: Administrator

Plasma is an anticoagulant and serum is a clot activator
therefore when blood mixes with plasma it cannot become or
make a clot, but when it is mixed with serum it clots. Many
anticoagulants contain calcium which binds with blood,
other contain potassium oxalate which can act as a
preservative for the blood.
When blood is mixed with serum it will clot faster because
many contain thrombin which coagulates faster and other
thixotropic gel which acts as thrombin.
Submitted by: Administrator