Here's why:
* Plasma is the liquid component of blood, making up about 55% of its volume.
* It acts as a solvent, carrying dissolved substances throughout the body.
* Nutrients from digestion are absorbed into the bloodstream and transported by plasma to cells.
* Hormones, chemical messengers produced by glands, travel through the plasma to their target organs.
* Enzymes, biological catalysts, are also carried by the plasma to facilitate chemical reactions in the body.
* Waste materials, such as carbon dioxide and urea, are collected from cells and transported by the plasma to organs like the kidneys and lungs for elimination.
While other components of blood, such as red blood cells (oxygen transport) and white blood cells (immune defense) are crucial, it's the plasma that serves as the primary vehicle for transporting these vital substances.
