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Alanine transaminase or ALT is (mostly) a liver enzyme (EC 2.6.1.2 (http://us.expasy.org/cgi-bin/nicezyme.pl?2.6.1.2)). It is also called serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) or alanine aminotransferrase (ALAT). The spillover of this enzyme into blood is routinely measured as a marker of liver-cell damage. This helps distinguish liver disease caused by liver-cell damage from diseases caused by problems in biliary ducts.
ALT is markedly raised in hepatitis and other acute liver damage. The enzyme aspartate transaminase (AST) has a similar role, but this enzyme tends to be found in other tissues, such as the heart, so is not as specific to the liver.
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