What it means
When blood clots in a tube, the cells and clotting proteins form a clot, and the fluid left on top is serum. Plasma is similar but still has the clotting proteins because the tube contains a chemical that stops clotting. Many lab tests are done on serum, so results are written as serum sodium, serum potassium or serum creatinine. Serum is also the base of some antitoxins and antibody treatments.
At a glance
| Spanish | suero |
|---|---|
| Also written | sera, serums |
Related terms
potassium
A mineral in the blood that nerves and muscles, including the heart, need in order to work.
electrolyte
A mineral that carries an electric charge when dissolved in body fluids, such as sodium, potassium, calcium and chloride.
creatinine
A waste product of muscle that the kidneys remove from the blood; its blood level is used to measure how well the kidneys work.