What color is icteric plasma?

What color is icteric plasma?

• A. Brown
• B. Red
• C. Yellow
• D. Green

Answer: (C)

Icteric plasma is yellow because bilirubin, a pigment produced from the breakdown of hemoglobin, accumulates in the bloodstream when the liver can’t process or excrete it properly. Normally the liver conjugates bilirubin and eliminates it in bile; when liver function is impaired or bile flow is blocked, bilirubin builds up in the blood and tints the plasma yellow. This yellow discoloration is a classic sign of jaundice in animals. Other colors would point to different issues—red from hemolysis, green from biliverdin in some cases, or other pigments—so the standout color for icteric plasma is yellow.

Icteric plasma is yellow because bilirubin, a pigment produced from the breakdown of hemoglobin, accumulates in the bloodstream when the liver can’t process or excrete it properly. Normally the liver conjugates bilirubin and eliminates it in bile; when liver function is impaired or bile flow is blocked, bilirubin builds up in the blood and tints the plasma yellow. This yellow discoloration is a classic sign of jaundice in animals. Other colors would point to different issues—red from hemolysis, green from biliverdin in some cases, or other pigments—so the standout color for icteric plasma is yellow.