A blood bank is an organization dedicated to collecting, storing, processing or supply of blood.

They work by donating blood, samples of which are mostly separated into components and then be frozen or refrigerated.

Whole blood is kept refrigerated at temperatures of 2-6 º C for 28 days;

The erythrocyte or red cell concentrate is stored under the same conditions as whole blood, only for 42 days.

The platelet concentrate can only keep 5 days at 22 ° C.

The fresh plasma is frozen below -30 º C. Cryoprecipitate is obtained after rapid freezing and slow thawing.

There are also some products from plasma albumin, antithrombin III concentrate, factor IX, gamma globulin and immunoglobulins.

Prior to develop the method of apheresis in the First World War, doctors had to find a compatible donor to perform a blood transfusion.