the difference between donating blood and donating plasma

Question

Also how are each used? Like what is the process?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Plasma is basically blood but without the red blood cells – water plus a bunch of other stuff. I think they might remove a bit of the other stuff too, though, like especially large proteins. Not all transfusions need red blood cells, and for these transfusions, plasma is enough. Plasma keeps for a bit longer than full blood does, and since it lacks red blood cells, there’s much less problem with incompatible blood groups, so plasma is basically much more universal. Often, when blood is extracted, it gets split into concentrated red blood cells and plasma anyway later on.