PLASMA PROTEINS

INTRODUCTION
• The human blood is a
complex fluid consisting of
two parts :
1. PLASMA : the fluid
component: 55%
2. CELLULAR COMPONENT :
45% ; by the formed
elements :
1. The red blood cells,
2. The white blood cells,
3. The platelets and
thrombocytes
 COMPOSITION OF PLASMA
Plasma is composed of :
1. Water – 92%
2. Solids or solutes – 8% ; plasma proteins 7% and
other solutes 1%
a.Inorganic solutes :
1. Anions: chloride, bicarbonate, phosphates,
sulphates,etc
2. Cations: sodium, calcium,pottasium,magnesium,etc
b. Organic:
1. Colloids ; plasma proteins
2. Crystalloids : glucose,lipid, urea, uric acid etc
 WHAT IS PLASMA AND SERUM?
• Plasma is separated by centrifuging anticoagulated
blood
• Serum is separated by allowing the blood to
coagulate
• Blood without fibrinogen and other clotting factors
is serum
• Serum is used in various biochemical investigations
and as a supplement to cell culture media
• Plasma is stored as FFP and used for plasmapheresis
 PLASMA PROTEINS
• They are the major solutes of plasma
• The normal plasma protein concentration is
• 6-8 gms/100ml
• The three types of plasma proteins are
• Albumin 4--5.5g%
• Globulin 1.5--3 g%
• Fibrinogen 0.3g%
Electroporesis
 ORIGIN
• IN EMBRYO : the mesenchymal cells through a
process of secretion or dissolution form
plasma proteins; albumin is synthesized first
and then the other proteins
• IN ADULTS : albumin and fibrinogen are
mainly from the liver;
• Globulin is from the tissue macrophages, the
plasma cells and the lymphocytes
 TYPES OF PLASMA PROTEINS
• PREALBUMIN :0.03 gms/dl;
• MW – 60000
• Binds thyroxine and tri iodo thyronine
• ALBUMIN -- 55% ; major constituent of plasma
ALBUMIN : 4-5.5 gms/dl
• proteins; formed mainly in the liver
• MW– 66000; half life –20 days
• Controls colloidal osmotic pressure
• Binding and carrier protein
• Albuminuria
• GLOBULIN : 38%; normal plasma concn :
– 1.5-3gms/dl; formed in the liver, cells of
reticuloendothelial system and plasma cells
– MW : 90000 to 156000
TYPES:
• 13% alpha-globulin ( alpha1 and alpha2) :0.78-
0.81gm/dl
• 14%beta-globulin(beta1 and beta 2):0.79-
0.84gm/dl
• 11%gamma globulin (gamma1 and
gamma2):0.66-0.70gm/dl
 FORMS OF GLOBULIN
• GLYCOPROTEIN
• LIPOPROTEIN: alpha 2 globulin plus lipid; water soluble
complex ; subtypes are:
• HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN : 50% protein with large amount
of cholesterol and phospholipids
• LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN: large amount of glycerides
• VERY LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN: higher proportion of
triglycerides or cholesterol
• CHYLOMICRONS : 2% protein 98% triglycerides
• Lipoproteins are used in lipid metabolism and increase in
atherosclerosis, obesity and liver diseases
• TRANSFERRIN : alpha 2 beta globulin ;MW –
90,000 ; 3.0-6.5gm/dl; regulates and controls
iron absorption from the gut and helps in iron
transport
• HAPTOGLOBINS : alpha 2 globulin; MW-
90,000; 40-180gm/dl; forms stable complexes
with free hemoglobin and prevents iron loss
through urinary excretion; regulates renal
threshold for hemoglobin
• CERULOPLASMIN :alpha 2 beta globulin ; MW-
16,000; 15-60mg/dl ; binds with copper and
helps in its transport and storage
• FETUIN : a growth promoting protein present
in fetus and newborn
• Antibodies are gamma globulins formed by
the plasma cells
• Coagulation factors, hem agglutinins and
immunoglobulins are the other globulins
 FIBRINOGEN
• Plasma concentration –0.3g% ; Formed in the
liver
• MW – 340000
• Plays an important role in blood coagulation
• Contributes to the viscosity of plasma
• Determines the erythrocyte sedimentation
rate
 RELATION OF DIET TO PLASMA
PROTEINS
• WHIPPLES EXPERIMENT: studied in a plasma
depleted dog
• To exhaust the protein reserves and find out
the rate of regeneration of plasma proteins on
a standard diet
• Sudden decrease of plasma proteins upto 4-5
gms/dl; after 15 minutes concentration starts
increasing due to mobilisation of labile
protein reserve
• Concentration is 4gm/dl,exhaustion of protein
occurs
• Plasma protein concn. Is less than
2gm/dl ,shock and death
• CONCLUSION : cell proteins are of three types:
• Indispensible proteins
• Dispensible proteins
• Labile proteins
FUNCTIONS OF PLASMA PROTEINS
• COLLOIDAL OSMOTIC PRESSURE : the osmotic
pressure of plasma due to plasma colloids
mainly the albumin is called oncotic pressure
–normally 25 mm of Hg
• COP is inversely proportional to the molecular
size and shape and is directly related to the
concentration of the molecules
• COP maintains the rate of fluid exchange
which depends on the STARLING forces
 WHAT ARE STARLING FORCES ?
• Hydrostatic pressure across the capillary

wall –favors filtration

• COP across the capillary wall – favors absorption
• Hydrostatic pressure in interstitial fluid –2-3mm Hg
• Interstitial fluid osmotic pressure – 3-4 mm Hg
• HP at arteriolar end is 37mm Hg and HP at venous end
is 15 mm Hg and the COP is 25 mm Hg
 FUNCTIONS
• VISCOSITY : Maintains the viscosity of blood
• Viscosity depends on the molecular shape of
the plasma protein
• IMMUNITY : antibodies are gamma globulins
which mediate humoral immunity to protect
the body from infections
• BLOOD COAGULATION : blood clotting
depends on the concentration of fibrinogen
 FUNCTIONS
• ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE : maintains the
BP by maintaining the viscosity of blood
• TRANSPORT : serve as carrier molecule for
transport of hormones,drugs, metals, etc
• BUFFERING : amphoteric in nature and act as
protein buffers ; maintain the acid – base
balance in the body
• STABILITY :globulins and fibrinogen provide
stability to blood; ROULEAUX formation
 FUNCTIONS
• PROTEIN STORE : serve as mobile protein
reserve of the body and used in crisis
• SYNTHETIC FUNCTION : provide substrate for
the synthesis of protein hormone and various
enzymes
• Leucocytes produce substances called
trephones from plasma proteins which help in
the nutrition of tissues
 VARIATIONS IN PLASMA PROTEIN
CONCENTRATION
• DECREASE – haemorrhage results in loss of all
plasma proteins
• INCREASE – due to loss of more water from
plasma as in burns,dehydration and diabetes
insipidus
• ALBUMIN – decrease in:
physiological : in infancy and newborn and in
pregnancy
 PATHOLOGICAL
• Impaired protein synthesis due to :
1. Hepatitis,
2. cirrhosis of liver,
3. chronic diseases,
4. severe malnutrition and
5. malabsorption
• Excessive loss due to :
1. Burns and
2. nephrosis
Globulin increase due to :
1. Multiple myeloma,
2. tuberculosis,
3. lymphatic leukemia,
4. cirrhosis of liver and
5. nephritis
Fibrinogen:
Increases in:
1. pregnancy,
2. menstruation,
3. malaria,
4. tissue injury and
5. infections
Decreases in carcinoma prostate, extensive cardiac or pulmonary
surgery and intravascular coagulation
 SEPARATION OF PLASMA
PROTEINS
• Separation is by:
1. salt separation, paper electrophoresis,
2. Cohns fractionation,
3. Ultra centrifugation,
4. Immunochemical analysis
• AG RATIO : 1.5 -2.5 :1
• Estimation of AG Ratio is useful in diagnosis and
prognosis of diseases
• Reversal of AG Ratio occurs in extensive tissue damage
 APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

• Hypoproteinemia  decrease in COP 

• Decrease filtration at arterial end and
increased absorption at venous end
• Abnormal collection of fluid in interstitial
spaces called oedema
• Increase in capillary permeability as in anoxia,
urticaria  oedema