Description
Introduction: Aspartate transaminase (AST) also called serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) or aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT/AAT) is similar to alanine transaminase (ALT) in that it is another enzyme associated with liver parenchymal cells. It is raised in acute liver damage. It is also present in red blood cells and cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, and kidney and brain tissue, and may be elevated due to damage to those sources as well. AST was defined as a biochemical marker for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in 1954. However the use of AST for such a diagnosis is now redundant and has been superseded by the cardiac troponins. AST (SGOT) is commonly measured clinically as a part of diagnostic liver function tests, to determine liver health.
Principle of the Assay: The microtiter plate provided in this kit has been pre-coated with an antibody specific to AST. Standards or samples are then added to the appropriate microtiter plate wells with a 3 biotin-conjugated antibody preparation specific for AST and Avidin conjugated to Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) is added to each microplate well and incubated. Then a TMB (3,3',5,5' tetramethyl-benzidine) substrate solution is added to each well. Only those wells that contain AST, biotin-conjugated antibody and enzyme-conjugated Avidin will exhibit a change in color. The enzyme-substrate reaction is terminated by the addition of a sulphuric acid solution and the color change is measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 450 nm +/- 2 nm. The concentration of AST in the samples is then determined by comparing the O.D. of the samples to the standard curve