Fluid exuding from the clotted blood is

Options

A. Plasma with most of the formed elements
B. Plasma without clotting factors
C. Serum
D. Both (2) & (3)

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Blood Composition**: Blood consists of two main components: plasma and blood cells. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood, while blood cells include red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets.

2. **Components of Plasma**: Plasma contains water, plasma proteins, minerals, hormones, glucose, and waste products like urea. The main plasma proteins are albumin, globulin, fibrinogen, and prothrombin.

3. **Function of Plasma Proteins**:
- **Albumin**: Maintains blood colloidal osmotic pressure.
- **Globulin**: Provides immunity and defense.
- **Fibrinogen and Prothrombin**: Involved in the blood clotting process.

4. **Blood Clotting Mechanism**: When a blood vessel is injured, it leads to bleeding. The injured tissue releases substances that initiate the clotting process. Platelets aggregate at the injury site and release thromboplastin, which, along with calcium ions and clotting factors, leads to the conversion of prothrombin into thrombin.

5. **Formation of Fibrin**: Thrombin converts fibrinogen (soluble) into fibrin (insoluble), forming a mesh that helps to stop the bleeding by trapping blood cells.

6. **Fluid Exuding from Clotted Blood**: After the clot forms, the liquid that seeps out is plasma without the clotting factors (fibrinogen and prothrombin). This fluid is known as serum.

7. **Conclusion**: The correct answer to the question, "Fluid exuding from the clotted blood is?" is serum, which is defined as plasma without clotting factors.

**Final Answer**: Serum

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