A small protein, synthesized in the liver, which is the principal protein in plasma and is important in maintaining plasma volume through maintenance of an osmotic gradient between plasma in the blood vessels and fluids in the surrounding tissues. Albumin also serves as the carrier molecule for fatty acids and other small molecules in plasma.

A substance added to the blood that inhibits clotting.

A method of collecting individual components of blood instead of whole blood from a donor (e.g. plasmapheresis, plateletpheresis).

A blood donation that is collected and returned to the donor as needed, usually in surgery.

A blood transfusion consisting of blood obtained from the recipient of the transfusion either prior to or during a surgical procedure.

General name for a facility or part of a facility (e.g., a hospital) that stores blood and blood components and which may collect and process blood.

Products separated from whole blood (i.e. red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma).

The "G" force applied during centrifugation that is used in apheresis technology to separate blood components.

A regime of cancer therapy utilizing drugs that destroy cancer cells.

The process of blood clotting, in which the plasma protein prothrombin is converted to thrombin, which in turn converts the soluble plasma fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin.

Situated or occurring near the body.

A plasma coagulation factor whose congenital deficiency results in the bleeding disorder known as hemophilia A.

A group of plasma proteins which, in neutral or alkaline solutions, has the slowest electrophoretic mobility and which has sites of antibody activity.

Inflammation of the liver; may be due to many causes, including viruses, several of which are transmissible through blood transfusions.

A blood transfusion from one individual to another individual. The donor and recipient are not the same.

The liquid portion of blood, excluding the cellular elements but including the proteins.

The separation of plasma into its major proteins.

The specific collection of plasma only, see Apheresis.

Any of numerous, minute disk-shaped, protoplasmic structures in blood, chiefly known for their role in blood coagulation.

A platelet transfusion that is prepared by combining multiple platelet products from several donors to produce a therapeutic dose for transfusion.

Plasma collected directly by plasmapheresis for fractionisation into plasma derivatives.

Undifferentiated cells with the ability to replicate and to differentiate into specific blood cell lines (e.g. red cells, white cells and platelets).

A group of symptoms that may appear after a transfusion of blood products. Symptoms may be mild to severe and may include side effects such as: chills, fever, rash and organ failure.