What Is Aspartate Aminotransferase?
Aspartate aminotransferase is a type of enzyme that is generally localized to the liver and heart, whose activity is measured in a lab test to check for damage to these organs. It is also commonly known as aspartate transaminase. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST) test can be used specifically to check for liver or heart problems, or it can be part of standard medical test screening. The liver has a number of aminotransferases, but the ones used in medical tests are alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. AST is found in more places in the body, and can be used as an indicator of a greater number of problems. Alanine aminotransferase is generally found only in the liver.
