What is the importance of plasma proteins?
Plasma proteins are of three major types, each with specific importance. Fibrinogen is needed for clotting or coagulation of blood. Globulins are primarily involved in defense mechanisms of the body. Albumins help in maintaining osmotic balance.
These proteins constitute 6-8% of the plasma and are essential for various physiological functions. Factors for coagulation of blood are also present in the plasma in an inactive form, which get activated during injury or trauma.
Explanation
The textbook clearly mentions the three major plasma proteins (fibrinogen, globulins, and albumins) and their specific functions. Fibrinogen is essential for blood clotting, globulins are involved in body defense mechanisms, and albumins maintain osmotic balance. This directly answers the question about the importance of plasma proteins.