logo
AAT Bioquest

Amplite® Colorimetric Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Assay Kit

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), also called serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), is a member of transferase family. It catalyzes the reversible transfer of an alpha-amino group between aspartate and glutamate, and is an important enzyme in amino acid metabolism. AST is found in many body tissues such as liver, heart, muscle, kidneys, brain. In healthy subjects, serum AST levels are low. However, when cells are damaged, such as acute and chronic hepatitis, obstructive jaundice, carcinoma of liver, myocardial infarction, AST may leak into the blood stream and the AST levels are significantly elevated. Therefore, determination of serum AST level has great clinical and diagnostic significance. Amplite® Colorimetric Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) assay kit provides a quick and sensitive method for the measurement of AST in various biological samples. Aspartate transaminase catalyzes the reaction of aspartate and α-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate. The product L-glutamate is measured by the generation of a blue color product through an enzyme coupled reaction cycle. The signal can be read by an absorbance microplate reader at an absorbance ratio of A570 nm to A610 nm. With the Amplite® Colorimetric Aspartate Aminotransferase Assay Kit, we have detected as little as 2 mU/mL AST in a 100 µL reaction volume. The assay is robust, and can be readily adapted for a wide variety of applications.

Example protocol

AT A GLANCE

Protocol summary

  1. Prepare AST working solution (50 µL)
  2. Add AST standards or test samples (50 µL)
  3. Incubate at 37ºC for 30 - 120 minutes
  4. Monitor absorbance increase at the absrobance ratio of A570nm /A610nm

Important notes
Thaw the kit components at room temperature before starting the experiment.

PREPARATION OF STOCK SOLUTION

Unless otherwise noted, all unused stock solutions should be divided into single-use aliquots and stored at -20 °C after preparation. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

1. AST standard solution (100 U/ml):
Add 100 µL DPBS buffer into the vial of AST Positive Control (Component D) to make 100 U/mL AST standard solution.


PREPARATION OF STANDARD SOLUTION

AST standard

For convenience, use the Serial Dilution Planner: https://www.aatbio.com/tools/serial-dilution/13801

Add 5 μL of 100 U/mL AST standard solution into 997 μL DPBS buffer with 0.1% BSA to generate 500 mU/mL AST standard solution (AST7). Take 500 mU/mL AST standard solution (AST7) and perform 1:2 serial dilutions in DPBS buffer with 0.1% BSA to get serial diluted AST standards (AST6 - AST1).

PREPARATION OF WORKING SOLUTION

1. Add 100 μL of ddH2O into the vial of NAD (Component C) to have 100X NAD solution.

2. 
Add 10 mL of AST Assay Buffer (Component B) into the bottle of AST Enzyme Mixture (Component A), and mix well. Then, add the whole vial of 100X NAD solution into the AST Enzyme Mixture solution to make AST working solution. Note: This AST working solution is enough for two 96-well plates. It is unstable at room temperature, and should be used promptly within 2 hours. Avoid exposure to light. Note: Alternatively, one can make a 50X of AST Enzyme Mixture stock solution by adding 200 μL of H2O into the bottle of AST Enzyme Mixture (Component A), and then prepare the AST working solution by mix the stock solution with Assay Buffer (Component B) and 100X NAD solution proportionally.

SAMPLE EXPERIMENTAL PROTOCOL

Table 1. Layout of AST standards and test samples in a clear bottom 96-well microplate. AST= AST Standards (AST1 - AST7, 7.8 to 500 mU/mL), BL=Blank Control, TS=Test Samples. 

BLBLTSTS
AST1AST1......
AST2AST2......
AST3AST3  
AST4AST4  
AST5AST5  
AST6AST6  
AST7AST7  

Table 2. Reagent composition for each well. Note: The AST standards are for positive control only, and should not be relied on as a quantitation standard for enzyme activity.

WellVolumeReagent
AST1 - AST750 µLSerial Dilutions (7.8 to 500 mU/mL) 
BL50 µLDPBS with 0.1% BSA
TS50 µLtest sample
  1. Prepare AST standards (AST), blank controls (BL), and test samples (TS) according to the layout provided in Tables 1 and 2. For a 384-well plate, use 25 µL of reagent per well instead of 50 µL.

  2. Add 50 µL of AST working solution to each well of AST standard, blank control, and test samples to make the total AST assay volume of 100 µL/well. For a 384-well plate, add 25 µL of AST working solution into each well instead, for a total volume of 50 µL/well.

  3. Incubate the reaction at 37ºC for 30 - 120 minutes, protected from light. Note: The background of Blank Control increases with time and temperature.

  4. Monitor the absorbance increase with an absorbance plate reader at the absorbance ratio of A570nm /A610nm.

AST assay calculator

The standard curve needed for AST quantification is generated by measuring the absorbances of known AST standards. This standard curve can then be used to calculate the concentration of any unknown biological sample.

This tool will generate a linear regression model for any given experimental data set with which to determine an unknown AST concentration for the AST Assay.
Begin Calculation

Citations

View all 5 citations: Citation Explorer
Reparative Efficacy of Liposome-Encapsulated Oleanolic Acid against Liver Inflammation Induced by Fine Ambient Particulate Matter and Alcohol in Mice
Authors: Wei, Ching-Ting and Wang, Yu-Wen and Wu, Yu-Chiuan and Lin, Li-Wei and Chen, Chia-Chi and Chen, Chun-Yin and Kuo, Shyh-Ming
Journal: Pharmaceutics (2022): 1108
Reparative and toxicity-reducing effects of liposome-encapsulated saikosaponin in mice with liver fibrosis
Authors: Shiu, Li-Yen and Huang, Han Hsiang and Chen, Chun Yin and Cheng, Hsia-Ying and Chen, Chih I and Kuo, Shyh Ming
Journal: Bioscience Reports (2020)
Spermidine confers liver protection by enhancing NRF 2 signaling through a MAP 1S-mediated non-canonical mechanism
Authors: Liu, Pengfei and de la Vega, Montserrat Rojo and Dodson, Matthew and Yue, Fei and Shi, Boyun and Fang, Deyu and Chapman, Eli and Liu, Leyuan and Zhang, Donna D
Journal: Hepatology (2019)
In vitro and in vivo study of the application of volvox spheres to co-culture vehicles in liver tissue engineering
Authors: Chang, Siou Han and Huang, Han Hsiang and Kang, Pei Leun and Wu, Yu Chian and Chang, Ming-Huang and Kuo, Shyh Ming
Journal: Acta Biomaterialia (2017)

References

View all 27 references: Citation Explorer
Fundus fluorescein angiography of choroidal tubercles: Case reports and review of literature
Authors: Mehta S., undefined
Journal: Indian J Ophthalmol (2006): 273
Safety of sodium fluorescein for in vivo study of skin
Authors: O'Goshi K, Serup J.
Journal: Skin Res Technol (2006): 155
Delayed absence seizure: A complication of intrathecal fluorescein injection A case report and literature review
Authors: Anari S, Waldron M, Carrie S.
Journal: Auris Nasus Larynx. (2006)
Fluorescein angiography and adverse drug reactions revisited: the Lions Eye experience
Authors: Kwan AS, Barry C, McAllister IL, Constable I.
Journal: Clin Experiment Ophthalmol (2006): 33
Methods of digital differential fluorescein study of the ocular drainage tract
Authors: Shmyreva VF, Petrov S, Novikov IA, Zueva Iu S.
Journal: Vestn Oftalmol (2005): 3
Page updated on December 17, 2024

Ordering information

Price
Unit size
Catalog Number13801
Quantity
Add to cart

Additional ordering information

Telephone1-800-990-8053
Fax1-800-609-2943
Emailsales@aatbio.com
InternationalSee distributors
Bulk requestInquire
Custom sizeInquire
Technical SupportContact us
Purchase orderSend to sales@aatbio.com
ShippingStandard overnight for United States, inquire for international
Request quotation

Storage, safety and handling

H-phraseH303, H313, H333
Hazard symbolXN
Intended useResearch Use Only (RUO)
R-phraseR20, R21, R22
UNSPSC12352200

Platform

Absorbance microplate reader

Absorbance570, 610 nm
Recommended plateClear bottom

Components

AST dose response was measured with Amplite® Colorimetric Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Assay Kit in a 96-well clear bottom plate using a SpectraMax microplate reader (Molecular Devices).
AST dose response was measured with Amplite® Colorimetric Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Assay Kit in a 96-well clear bottom plate using a SpectraMax microplate reader (Molecular Devices).
AST dose response was measured with Amplite® Colorimetric Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Assay Kit in a 96-well clear bottom plate using a SpectraMax microplate reader (Molecular Devices).