What is Serum (blood)?
[[File:US Navy 030923-N-1577S-003 Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Donna Sanderson from Lancaster, Calif., prepares serum cups.jpg|thumb|right|Blood serum being prepared for a test]] '''Serum''' is a clear, yellowish coloured fluid which is part of the [[blood]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.credoreference.com/entry/blackmed/serum |title=Serum |first= |last=|work=Black's Medical Dictionary, 42nd Edition |year=2010 |accessdate=16 June 2012}}</ref> It does not contain white or red [[blood cell]]s or a [[clotting factor]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.credoreference.com/entry/collinsbiology/blood_serum_or_serum |title=blood serum or serum |first= |last= |work=Collins Dictionary of Biology |year=2005 |accessdate=16 June 2012}}</ref> It is the [[blood plasma]] without the [[fibrinogen]]s. Serum includes all [[protein]]s not used in [[blood clotting]] (coagulation) and all the [[electrolyte]]s, [[antibodies]], [[antigen]]s, [[hormone]]s, and any extra substances (such as [[drug]]s and [[microorganism]]s). The study of serum is [[serology]]. Serum is used in many medical [[diagnosis|diagnostic tests]], as well as in [[blood type|blood typing]]. [[Blood]] is [[centrifuge]]d to remove cellular components. Anti-coagulated [[blood]] yields [[Blood plasma|plasma]] containing [[fibrinogen]] and [[clotting factor]]s. Coagulated [[blood]] (clotted blood) yields serum without [[fibrinogen]], although some clotting factors remain. Serum is an important part of the self-renewal of [[embryonic stem cells]] when combined with the [[cytokine]] [[leukemia inhibitory factor]]. ==Related pages== * [[Blood plasma]] * [[Albumin]] * [[Globulin]] * [[Lipid]] == References == {{refbegin}} {{reflist}} * {{cite book |title=Concise Medical Dictionary |editor=Martin, Elizabeth A.|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=Oxford |year=2007 |edition=7th|isbn=978-0-19-280697-0 |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t60.e9203 |accessdate=8 September 2009}} * {{cite encyclopedia|author=Wang, Wendy; Srivas