the difference between donating blood and donating plasma

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

In: Biology

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

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.

Anonymous 0 Comments

As someone who donates both. The difference is one is a ‘whole’ product where the other is ‘part’ of a product.
Plasma in itself as far as I’m aware is universal.

Plasma also takes nearly twice as long to harvest. It gets taken out of you then passed through a machine and then sent back into you.