Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) Practice Exam

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What is the name of the fluid portion of a blood specimen after it has been collected with an anticoagulant?

Fibrin
Fibrinogen
Plasma
Serum

The correct answer is: Plasma

The fluid portion of a blood specimen collected with an anticoagulant is known as plasma. When blood is drawn into a tube containing an anticoagulant, it prevents the blood from clotting, allowing the liquid component to remain in its natural state. Plasma consists mainly of water, but it also contains proteins, electrolytes, nutrients, hormones, and waste products. In contrast, serum is the liquid portion of blood that is obtained after coagulation has occurred, meaning that the blood has clotted and the clot (which contains fibrin) has been removed. Fibrin and fibrinogen are associated with the coagulation process; fibrin is the protein that forms the structural basis of blood clots, while fibrinogen is the soluble plasma protein that is converted into fibrin during clotting. Since the question specifically refers to a specimen treated with an anticoagulant, the correct term is plasma.