Which of the following components is found in plasma?

The correct choice pertains to components that are dissolved or suspended within plasma, which is the liquid portion of blood. Plasma is primarily composed of water but also contains various substances that are crucial for bodily functions.

Nutrients such as glucose and amino acids are carried in the plasma to cells throughout the body for energy and growth. Hormones, which help regulate numerous physiological processes and maintain homeostasis, are also dissolved in plasma and distributed to target organs. Proteins, including albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen, play essential roles in maintaining osmotic pressure, immune responses, and blood clotting. The presence of these components characterizes plasma and is fundamental to its function in transportation and regulation within the circulatory system.

The other options reference elements not typically classified as being part of the plasma. For instance, while oxygen and carbon dioxide are carried in the blood, they are not components of plasma in the same way nutrients and proteins are relevant to its composition. Option two includes cellular components of blood, which are found in the formed elements of blood and not in plasma itself. The final option lists red blood cells and white blood cells, which are also part of the formed elements rather than the liquid plasma.