Serum (blurb):

Serum is an umbrella term for all of the other substances of which the blood plasma consists, with the exception of red blood cells, platelets, and other coagulating agents. Serum consists of a variety of proteins that facilitate many different bodily functions. Serum adds to the overall importance of blood in its ability to repair itself, fight infections, and deliver chemicals to all points in the body.

Serum Background:

Serum is analyzed to diagnose diseases. Serum is separated from the other ingredients in blood to reveal levels of antibodies, cholesterol, iron, glucose and proteins. Abnormal levels of these components of blood serum are the way by which doctors diagnose many different diseases. Serum analyses are also excellent predictors of disease; therefore blood tests have a preventative function in addition to its more obvious diagnostic function.

Serum Glucose:
 
Serum glucose is also known as blood sugar. Glucose is the body’s most abundant source of energy. Glucose is a type of sugar. Cells need glucose as energy to perform the many tasks that are conducive to healthy bodily funciton. However, there are adverse effects of serum glucose levels that are either too high or too low. Diabetes is the most familiar disease that pertains directly to abnormalities in the amount of serum glucose levels.

Serum Ferritin:

Serum ferritin levels are studied to monitor the extent to which a person is anemic. Anemia is not only characterized by a lack of or inefficient transfer of oxygen by the red blood cells. Anemia can also be caused by a lack of ferritin within the blood serum. Ferritin is a protein that stores and releases iron in the body. Blood iron levels are monitored to diagnose blood disorders.

Human Serum Albumin:

Human serum albumin is the most common protein in blood serum. Albumin is important in many bodily functions. Albumin transports hormones and drugs to the organs to carrie functions. To use an analogy, albumin is the body’s postal service that carries messages containing orders from the governing agencies of the brain and endocrine system. Abnormal human serum albumin levels can indicate many diseases as well.

Serum Creatinine:

Creatine is naturally stored in the muscles as a source of energy when oxygen or glucose are not in ample supply. When anaerobic muscle exertion commences, creatine is used for energy. Creatinine is a waste by-product of the chemical reactions involved in anaerobic exercise. Creatinine is then sent to the kidneys to be excreted. It must travel through the blood to get to the kidneys. Abnormally high amounts of creatinine could be a sign of kidney deficiency as a healthy kidney does a relatively thorough job of getting rid of creatinine.

Serum Protein Electrophoresis:

The serum protein electrophoresis test is a blood test that makes use of an electrical field to separate the proteins within blood serum. Proteins move in fluids when subjected to an electrical field. Each type of protein has a different electrical frequency, which separates each protein from one another. This test is used to gain a holistic view of blood protein levels.

Serum Cholesterol:
 
Serum cholesterol is blood cholesterol. Cholesterol is found in all of the body’s cells. However, serum cholesterol is the way by which cholesterol levels are measured. Cholesterol is essential to animal life. However, too much cholesterol can cause cardiovascular illnesses and strokes.