Blood plasma fractionation process

Plasma contains a large variety of proteins including albumin, immunoglobulin, and clotting proteins such as fibrinogen in it. These proteins present in it have many important therapeutic uses and clinical uses and can work wonders when used in development of various medicines. These substances are also widely used in medical researches to develop therapies and vaccines for chronic diseases like cancer, tumors and AIDS etc.

In order to get the benefit of these live saving substances plasma is extracted from the human blood through a process called blood fractionation. Human Plasma is the yellowish liquid present in the human blood that constitutes 55% of its volume and is responsible for all the major circulation of it throughout the human body. When this extraction is carried out we get a clear solution of plasma in the upper phase, the Buffy coat, which is a thin layer of leukocytes mixed with platelets in the middle and Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells) at the bottom of the centrifuge tube. After getting these components separately in the tube, plasma can be separated easily and stored for further use.

Now once the Human Plasma is obtained, its various components can be separated for further usage. However it is also very beneficial and can be used in various forms to create medications wholly. The process of separating the various components of Human Blood Plasma is called as Blood plasma fractionation.

The Human Blood Plasma contains thousands of proteins, however, identifying them presents challenge due to the wide range of concentrations present in it. Let us see different components and their concentration in it.

·         Albumin constitutes about 60% of the total protein in plasma and is present at concentrations between 35 and 55 mg/mL. It is the main contributor to osmotic pressure of the blood and it functions as a carrier molecule for molecules with low water solubility such as lipid soluble hormones, enzymes, fatty acids, metal ions, and pharmaceutical compounds. Due to the structural integrity of albumin it remains stable under conditions where most other proteins denature.

·         Fibrinogen is present at concentrations 1.5-4.0 g/L in Human Blood Plasma or about 7 µM. It is the principal protein responsible for clotting in the human body.

·         Immunoglobulins are the substances that fight against infections in human body. Our bodies create antibodies (Immunoglobulin’s) against disease causing agents when infections occur.

Apart from these there are many other proteins and substances present in the human plasma in minute quantities that also can be separated through the process of Blood plasma fractionation.

The first practical large scale method of blood plasma fractionation was developed by Edwin J. Cohn during World War II. This process is also known as cold ethanol fractionation as it involves gradually increasing the concentration of ethanol in the solution at 5^oC and 3^oC. The Cohn Process exploits differences in properties of the various proteins, specifically, the high solubility and low pl of albumin. However, at each stage certain proteins are precipitated out of the solution and removed. The final precipitate is purified albumin.

Several variations to this process also exist, including an adapted method by Nitschmann and Kistler that uses fewer steps, and replaces centrifugation and bulk freezing with filtration and diafiltration. However, the ultimate goal of processing is to get a purified component that can be used for making injection or transfusions. In addition to the clinical uses of a variety of its proteins, it has many analytical uses too. Blood plasma fractionation obtains it in purified state that can be utilized for many purposes and have many beneficial factors in it.

Serum eye drops used in medical treatments

Serum being the part of human blood contains all the proteins, antibodies, antigens, hormones essential for the smooth flow of biological activities in the human body. This is indeed blood plasma with fibrinogens removed by electrolysis. As it is not the clotting factor it can be preserved for longer. It is a beneficial human blood product which is used in many diagnostic tests, blood typing and also to create variety of medications and therapies.

The study of serum is called serology. Many modern medications are developed by studying such substances and blood products that can are been taken or extracted from healthy donors (humans) as Serum Donation. Many scientists have been researching about such substances and about their productivity in the human body and all the biological functions of them. This substance was found to be an essential factor for the self renewal of embryonic stem cells in the human body along with various other functions important for the life cycle of humans.

Along with numerous biological benefits of this substance it is one of the live saving blood products which can be used in treatment of diseases like “Superior Limbal Keratoconjunctivitis”, which is an ophthalmic disease which can lead to the disruption of normal epithelium of the eye. The major symptoms of this disease can be red eye, burning sensation, frequent tearing, foreign body sensation, mild photophobia, Inflammation and thickening of the conjunctiva. In general, there is scarcity of moisture production near the eye surface resulting in dry and irritated eye surface area so application of it in the form of eye drops can be a solution.

According to the recent researches found, Serum eye drops can be prescribed to the patients that are suffering from such disorders like dry eyes, persistent epithelial defects, and Superior Limbal Keratoconjunctivitis as well as a supportive measure in ocular surface reconstruction. They are by nature non allergenic to humans and their biomechanical and biochemical properties are similar to normal tears. Serum in the form of eye drops has been reported to decrease the irritation and infection of the eye. Also in some cases, it was used as a supplement rather than a substitute option and also in many therapeutic contact lenses application with initiation of its eye drops as pre solution. Due to the increasing fluid supply of this substance it may also have yielded the beneficial effect on such chronic diseases. Also it was observed that when its application was discontinued on the patients discomfort increased again.

Serum eye drops may be produced as an unpreserved blood preparation by collecting the fresh collected samples from the Serum Donor Locations that are been set up in an increasing number across the United States. Healthy and adult donor comes here for Serum Donation and gets paid too for their donation. The collected samples at these Serum Donor Locations are preserved in frozen state for the future usage of this substance in developing medicines, vaccines and therapies to cure chronic diseases in the patients.

However, the serum collected from various patients will certainly not be identical, so it is preserved separately at these Serum Donor Locations in glass tubes. According to the study the production factors significantly influence the biochemical properties of blood derived products like plasma etc. Also the donor health conditions can majorly affect the properties of this substance, so prior to the Serum Donation the donors are gone through pre testing in which their blood will be tested to assure free from viruses and infections. Once their sample will be approved they will be allowed to donate any of the other human blood products.

Gamma Globulin medical wonders

Human blood is an essential body fluid that carries oxygen and other important nutrients to all the body cells. It is also responsible for flushing out of carbon dioxide, ammonia, and other waste products from the human body. This fluid contributes almost 7-8% of human body weight and plays a vital role in maintaining a constant body temperature. It also helps the immune system in defense against the various attacks to diseases from external sources. Human Blood is a highly specialized tissue composed of more than 4,000 different kinds of components.  Four of the most important Blood Products are red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma.  All these Human Blood Products helps in maintain the human life cycle and fight against various diseases and ailments.

Gamma Globulin is also one of such Human Blood Products that is produced in the liver, while some are made by the immune system. They are a class of globulins, identified by their position after serum protein electrophoresis is done, which is a laboratory test that examines specific proteins in the blood called globulins. The most significant gamma globulins are immunoglobulins or Igs, more commonly known as antibodies. However, some Igs are not gamma globulins, and some gamma globulins are not Igs.

Gamma Globulin is also one of the types of globulins that are produced without any previous infection, vaccination, other foreign antigen exposure in the liver of humans. These antibodies can activate the classical complement pathway leading to lysis of enveloped virus particles long before the adaptive immune response is activated. They are very beneficial when produced in the human body for fighting against all the viruses and diseases.

Generally all humans produce these Human Blood Products irrespective of location or gender. But sometimes there is an excess production of these substances in the human blood which at times can be harmful to the human body. An excess production of Gamma Globulin in human serum is known as ‘Hypergammaglobulinemia’. Also, sometimes there is scarcity of production in the body due this deficiency is known as ‘Hypogammaglobulinemia’. Either it is in excess or deficient human body is prone to a disease called "gammopathy".

However, these substances can be extracted from healthy donors and can be utilized for preparing medications and therapies that can come useful to patients that are suffering from diseases like gammopathy, or any other chronic disease. Gamma Globulin injections are usually given to temporarily boost a patient's immunity against various diseases and also are given along with blood transfusions and intravenous drug use, to pass along Hepatitis C to the patients. These injections are most commonly used on patients having been exposed to hepatitis A or measles, or to make a kidney donor and recipient compatible regardless of blood type of tissue match. These Injections are also used to boost immunity in patients who are unable to produce gamma globulins naturally in their body because of an immune deficiency, such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia and hyper IgM syndrome. Such injections are less common in modern medical practice than they were previously used as they are now replaced by the use of hepatitis A vaccine instead.

Gamma globulin infusions are also used to treat some immunological diseases, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), a disease in which the platelets are being attacked by antibodies, leading to seriously low platelet counts. It appears that they cause the spleen to ignore the antibody tagged platelets, thus allowing them to survive and function properly.

Irrespective of its type and quantity these Human Blood Products are working wonders in medical world by helping in development of various medications, therapies and vaccines to help save many human lives around the globe.

Learn more about Human Blood Products by visiting at http://www.accessbiologicals.com

Donor requirements for donating plasma

Plasma is the liquid part of human blood that constitutes 90% of water and proteins. This substance is responsible in binding all the blood components together and distribution of various substances in the human body. It makes up to 10% - 12% of the blood and contains substances like nutrients, clotting agents, albumin (it is a major protein of human blood) etc.

This substance not only work wonders in the human body alone, but also can be useful in developing various therapies, vaccines and medication to treat the patients that are suffering from chronic diseases by extracting it from human body. This substance is stored in frozen state when taken out from the human body and is used for making medicines for treating patients.

There are various Plasma Donation Center set up in the United States where people can go for Donating Plasma. These Plasma Donation Centers use specially designed equipment that separates this substance from the blood and then returns the rest of the blood to the donor. The actual procedure takes about one hour, but the entire donation process generally lasts an hour and a half from start to finish. All healthy fit adults can donate this live saving substance either for money or as for a human cause. These Plasma Donation Centers also pay to the donors for donation from their body, so it can be a safer way to earn money for people who are looking to make some extra dollars. However there are some exceptions for the donors who are Donating Plasma at these centers.

Here are few of the donor requirements that these Plasma Donation Centers look for:

·         Donors must be most preferably males, as females are weak when compared to men.

·         Donors must be at least 16 years of age or above. Parental permission is required for 16 year young donors.

·         Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds. Also, the body weight determines the quantity you can donate, so more the body weight the more one can donate. However, those with a high level of fats in their blood will not be accepted as a donor.

·         Donors must have an adequate blood iron level.

·         Donors must have clear medical records. Prior to your donation, a complete medical history will be taken along with physical examination of blood and other sugar levels of the body.

·         People suffering from asthma, diabetes, AIDS, hepatitis, jaundice or leukemia cannot be accepted as donors.

·         Persons who have undergone a surgical procedure of any kind are not applicable for donating plasma, as there should be a waiting period after surgery before one can do any such donation. Prior to which they are not accepted for donations.

·         Patients who have active illness, even a cold or flu, cannot donate until they are completely well.

·         Donors must give donations for every 28 days of the prior one. There must be minimum gap of such time in each donation.

However, donating plasma is somewhat like donating scalp hair to make natural wigs. Plasma, like hair, is part of your body that will grow back without repercussion. Though donating of this substance can result in little of dizziness and weakness to the donors. It is recommended to take huge intake of liquids o juices before and after the donation.

Certainly, you should not lightly make a decision to become a donor. Check whether you are healthy enough and have rich and sufficient diet intake before donating. Also ask yourself if any of the ethical concerns about donating plasma trouble you. If you can balance the benefits and the drawback both, then go donate it!

Learn more about Plasma Donation Center by visiting at http://www.accessbiologicals.com