Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)

General Information

Alanine aminotransferase (glutamate pyruvate transaminase) belongs to the transaminases, which catalyse the interconversion of amino acids and a-ketoacids by transfer of amino groups.

Elevated levels of the transaminases can indicate myocardial infarction, hepatic disease, muscular dystrophy and organ damage.  However, serum elevations of ALT activities are rarely observed except in parenchymal liver disease, since ALT is a more liver-specific enzyme than AST.