From the Guidelines
Plasma is made by centrifuging blood in a suitable anticoagulant.
Steps to Make Plasma
- Collect blood in a suitable anticoagulant
- Centrifuge the blood to separate cells from the blood fluid, resulting in three distinct fractions: erythrocytes, buffy coat (leukocytes and platelets), and plasma [ 1, 1 ]
- Collect the plasma, which is the yellow top fraction, primarily consisting of water (90%–92%), soluble proteins, lipoproteins, residual platelets, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) 1
Important Considerations
- The composition of blood is donor-dependent, with factors such as sex affecting the concentration of erythrocytes 1
- Blood processing variables, including pre-centrifugation delay time, centrifugation conditions, post-centrifugation storage delay, and temperature, may contribute to pre-analytical variation of the resulting blood specimens 1
- Plasma can be stored in aliquots at -80°C 1
From the Research
Plasma Production Overview
- Plasma is typically produced through a process of fractionation, which involves the separation of plasma into its various components, such as immunoglobulin G, alpha1-protease inhibitor, von Willebrand factor, and protein C 2.
- The production of plasma products involves the pooling of 10,000 to 50,000 donations, which poses a risk of transmitting blood-borne infectious agents 2.
- To mitigate this risk, plasma manufacturers implement various safety measures, including viral inactivation and removal treatments, to ensure the optimal safety of the final product 2, 3.
Plasma Collection and Processing
- Plasma can be collected from whole blood donations or through apheresis, a process that separates the plasma from other blood components 4.
- The collected plasma is then processed and manufactured into various therapeutic products, such as dried plasma, which can be used in emergency situations where fresh plasma is not available 5.
- The processing of plasma involves various steps, including testing for infectious agents, purification, and packaging, to ensure the quality and safety of the final product 3.
Safety Measures and Regulations
- Plasma manufacturers must adhere to strict regulations and guidelines to ensure the safety and quality of their products 2, 3.
- Safety measures, such as quarantine and pathogen reduction technology, are implemented to reduce the risk of transmitting infectious agents 4.
- Regular audits and monitoring of plasma suppliers are also conducted to ensure compliance with regulations and to guarantee the quality of the plasma used in production 3.