blood plasma

noun

: the pale yellow fluid of whole blood that consists of water and its dissolved constituents including especially proteins (such as albumin, fibrinogen, and globulins)

Examples of blood plasma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In fact, saltwater from the ocean and our blood plasma are 98% identical. Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024 Glucagon is also responsible for maintaining blood plasma levels of glucose, like insulin is. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023 In response to claims that blood plasma from young donors could treat dementia, the Food and Drug administration released a warning in 2019, saying that this technique has not been clinically proven to be beneficial or safe. Victoria Sayo Turner, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug. 2023 She’s been living off her savings, selling her blood plasma and frequenting food pantries just to get by — all while taking care of a teenage son. Krystal Hur, CNN, 3 July 2023 The researchers sampled a total of 113 redfish in the summer of 2022 in nine estuaries throughout the state, taking muscle and blood plasma samples and analyzing them for 94 pharmaceuticals. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2023 Adrian Collins This idea that water—which constitutes more than half our bodies and 90 percent of our blood plasma—holds the key to some kind of metamorphosis is irresistible to me. Women's Health, 31 July 2023 Convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental treatment in which blood plasma from recovered patients, which contains coronavirus antibodies, is transfused with the blood of a patient suffering from the illness. Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 3 Aug. 2020 In the meantime, experts say antibody tests are useful for two things: Large studies in the general population to see how widely the coronavirus has spread, and screening people who may be able to donate their antibody-rich blood plasma, which is used as an experimental treatment for COVID-19. Matthew Perrone, Star Tribune, 7 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blood plasma.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blood plasma was in 1842

Dictionary Entries Near blood plasma

Cite this Entry

“Blood plasma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blood%20plasma. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blood plasma

noun
: the fluid portion of whole blood

Medical Definition

blood plasma

noun
: the pale yellow fluid portion of whole blood that consists of water and its dissolved constituents including proteins (as albumin, fibrinogen, and globulins), electrolytes (as sodium and chloride), sugars (as glucose), lipids (as cholesterol and triglycerides), metabolic waste products (as urea), amino acids, hormones, and vitamins compare serum entry 1 sense a(1)

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