Which specimen would you expect to have a non-clotted characteristic?

The specimen that would have a non-clotted characteristic is cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid is crucial for protecting the brain and spinal cord and does not undergo a clotting process like blood does. Cerebrospinal fluid is collected through a procedure called a lumbar puncture and is typically clear and free-flowing, allowing for its diagnostic use in identifying various medical conditions, such as infections or neurological disorders.

Whole blood, serum, and plasma all originate from blood; however, they behave differently in terms of clotting. Whole blood contains both cellular components and plasma but has not been allowed to clot. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood that has been anti-coagulated, and it contains clotting factors. Serum is obtained after blood has clotted and the clot has been removed, thus lacking clotting factors. Therefore, cerebrospinal fluid is the only option presented that inherently remains in a non-clotted state, directly reflecting its physiological role and collection method.