Blood Components
Up to four components can be derived from donated blood. That means that when you give a pint, you may be helping several patients. The main transfusable components are:
Whole Blood
Made up of red cells, white cells, and platelets.
Red Blood Cells
Also called erythrocytes, these cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissue.
Platelets
Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small blood cells that initiate blood clotting and control bleeding.
Plasma
A pale yellow mixture of water, salts, and proteins, including soluble clotting factors. Plasma is 90 percent water and constitutes 55 percent of blood volume.
Cryoprecipitate AHF
Cryoprecipitated Antihemophilic Factor (Cryo) is a portion of Plasma rich in clotting factors. It is a frozen blood product prepared from Plasma.