Plasma Fractionation: An Overview of Separating Blood Plasma into Valuable Components
Plasma Fraction is the process of separating the various therapeutic protein components in blood plasma. This separation involves using specialized techniques to isolate the different plasma proteins and antibodies that constitute about 7% of the total weight of blood plasma. The end goal is to produce individual concentrated plasma derivatives that can be utilized as medicinal treatments.
What is Plasma Fractionation?
Before delving into the specifics of Plasma Fractionation, it's important to understand what blood plasma actually is. Plasma is the liquid component of blood that remains after removing the cells. It accounts for around 55% of total blood volume and serves as the medium in which nutrients, wastes, hormones, and blood cells are transported throughout the body. Blood plasma contains over 700 different identifiable protein constituents, as well as electrolytes, antibodies, clotting factors, and albumin. Maintaining appropriate concentrations of these components is essential to homeostasis.
History and Evolution of Plasma Fraction Methods
The concept and development of Plasma Fraction emerged in the early 20th century, with early attempts separating components like fibrinogen through precipitation and filtration. However, it was Cohn's landmark discoveries in the 1940s that truly revolutionized the field. He developed cold ethanol fractionation methods that utilized variations in protein solubility allowing large-scale production of purified plasma products. This paved the way for broader industrial application and availability of therapies such as immunoglobulins, albumin, antithrombin, and Factor VIII. Advancements continue to refine processes and yields through newer techniques like chromatography columns and viral inactivation protocols.
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