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serum

Primary Information
Secondary Information

Definition

Serum is the clear liquid part of blood that remains after the blood cells and clotting factors have been removed. It contains proteins, antibodies, and other substances that are important for the body's immune system.

Serum proteins are essential for many bodily functions, including:

  • Blood clotting: Serum proteins called fibrinogen and prothrombin help to clot blood.
  • Immunity: Serum proteins called antibodies help the body fight infection.
  • Transport: Serum proteins transport nutrients and oxygen to cells and remove waste products from cells.
  • Regulation: Serum proteins regulate blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and other bodily functions.
  • Serum is also used in a variety of medical tests and treatments, including:
  • Blood typing: Serum is used to determine a person's blood type.
  • Antibodies testing: Serum is used to test for antibodies to specific diseases.
  • Immunotherapy: Serum from people who have recovered from certain diseases can be used to treat people who are sick with the same disease.
  • Transfusions: Serum can be transfused to people who have lost a lot of blood or who have certain medical conditions.

How can the word be used?

The serum was used to treat the patient's infection.

serum

Different forms of the word

Noun:

  • the clear liquid part of blood or milk that separates from the solid parts when they are allowed to stand.
  • a clear liquid that is produced by the body in response to an infection or vaccination.

Etymology

The word "serum" comes from the Latin word "serum", which means "whey".

The first recorded use of the word "serum" in English was in the 14th century.

The word "serum" is a Latin word, and it is related to the English word "serous".

Question

What is serum?

AQA Science Exam Question and Answer

Question:

Explain the significance of serum in medical diagnostics and its role in detecting and monitoring various health conditions.

Answer:

Serum plays a crucial role in medical diagnostics as a valuable fluid for assessing health and detecting medical conditions. Serum is the clear, cell-free portion of blood obtained after coagulation, and it contains a multitude of proteins, hormones, electrolytes, and other biomolecules that provide insights into a person's physiological state.

One significant application of serum analysis is in clinical chemistry tests, which help diagnose and monitor a range of diseases. These tests measure specific components in the serum, such as glucose, cholesterol, liver enzymes, and electrolytes. Abnormal levels of these substances can indicate conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or liver dysfunction.

Serum also serves as a reservoir for antibodies produced in response to infections or vaccinations. Antibody levels in serum can help identify past or current infections, and antibody titer changes can indicate a person's immune response.

Furthermore, serum markers, such as tumour markers, are used to detect specific cancers and track their progression or response to treatment. For example, elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can suggest prostate cancer, and monitoring changes in PSA levels helps assess treatment effectiveness.