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Serum (blood)
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<p>Serum is the fluid and solvent component of <a href="/facts/Blood/03zEulkj">blood</a> which does not play a role in <a href="/facts/Coagulation/vnfEevM0">clotting</a>. It may be defined as <a href="/facts/Blood_plasma/oHuwwugG">blood plasma</a> without the <a href="/facts/Clotting_factors/vnfEevM0">clotting factors</a>, or as blood with all cells and clotting factors removed. Serum contains all <a href="/facts/Protein/Jxmagu3E">proteins</a> except clotting factors (involved in <a href="/facts/Coagulation/vnfEevM0">blood clotting</a>), including all <a href="/facts/Electrolyte/4YE8bIVa">electrolytes</a>, <a href="/facts/Antibodies/MX8pdTdP">antibodies</a>, <a href="/facts/Antigen/9JlAernG">antigens</a>, <a href="/facts/Hormone/WFnBnINJ">hormones</a>; and any <a href="/facts/Exogenous/yHXbIsAa">exogenous</a> substances (e.g., <a href="/facts/Drug/FFFUI9n4">drugs</a>, <a href="/facts/Microorganism/pysJYcE2">microorganisms</a>). Serum also does not contain all the formed elements of blood, which include blood cells, white blood cells (<a href="/facts/Leukocyte/vsDunUK0">leukocytes</a>, <a href="/facts/Lymphocyte/pS2pv2Ma">lymphocytes</a>), red blood cells (<a href="/facts/Erythrocyte/Kggpq8Jh">erythrocytes</a>), and <a href="/facts/Platelet/I0xrDVGa">platelets</a>. </p><p>The study of serum is <a href="/facts/Serology/wmNg447o">serology</a>. Serum is used in numerous <a href="/facts/Diagnostic_tests/rRgnuQSD">diagnostic tests</a> as well as <a href="/facts/Blood_typing/eq9tsmsk">blood typing</a>. Measuring the concentration of various molecules can be useful for many applications, such as determining the <a href="/facts/Therapeutic_index/h311pqE5">therapeutic index</a> of a <a href="/facts/Drug_candidate/LLdDNvjy">drug candidate</a> in a <a href="/facts/Clinical_trial/q8LMr832">clinical trial</a>. </p><p>To obtain serum, a <a href="/facts/Blood/03zEulkj">blood</a> sample is allowed to clot (<a href="/facts/Coagulation/vnfEevM0">coagulation</a>). The sample is then <a href="/facts/Centrifuge/EVGu5ndv">centrifuged</a> to remove the clot and blood cells, and the resulting liquid supernatant is serum. </p>