Serum Glutamic Oxalacetic Transaminase Activity in Experimental and Disease States

Abstract

Introduction The measurement of serum enzymes has been a useful laboratory adjunct in the clinical resolution of diagnostic problems. The recent reports that have rapidly accumulated on the clinical application of alterations in serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGO-T) justify a review of the literature pertaining to this serum enzyme and to its clinical significance. Transamination is a chemical reaction in which there is an exchange of the α-amino group of one amino acid for the keto group of an α-keto acid, with the resulting synthesis of a second α-amino acid and a new α-keto acid. This type of chemical conversion was first described in 1937 and was postulated to be a reaction which occurred with any amino acid and α-ketoglutarate or oxalacetate, using pigeon breast muscle as a source of transaminase.⁹ In 1938, pig heart muscle was also shown to act as a transaminase.²⁹ In 1940, it was