Orange top tubes contain what additive?

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Multiple Choice

Orange top tubes contain what additive?

Orange top tubes are designed to speed up serum production by using a thrombin-based clot activator. Thrombin triggers rapid conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, causing the blood to clot quickly so serum can be separated in a short time. This is different from anticoagulant additives that prevent clotting, which would produce plasma instead of serum. EDTA, citrate, and heparin are each used for other purposes: EDTA preserves cells for complete blood counts and is found in purple-top tubes; citrate chelates calcium for coagulation testing and is in blue-top tubes; heparin inhibits clotting and is used in green-top tubes for certain plasma chemistry tests.

Orange top tubes are designed to speed up serum production by using a thrombin-based clot activator. Thrombin triggers rapid conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, causing the blood to clot quickly so serum can be separated in a short time. This is different from anticoagulant additives that prevent clotting, which would produce plasma instead of serum.

EDTA, citrate, and heparin are each used for other purposes: EDTA preserves cells for complete blood counts and is found in purple-top tubes; citrate chelates calcium for coagulation testing and is in blue-top tubes; heparin inhibits clotting and is used in green-top tubes for certain plasma chemistry tests.

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