Liver
The liver is a large, meaty organ & its main job is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, before passing it
to the rest of the body. The liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. Liver also secretes bile that ends up
back in the intestines. Liver also makes proteins important for blood clotting and other functions.
Alkaline Phosphatase Test
Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme found in your bloodstream. ALP helps break down proteins in the body and exists in different
forms, depending on where it originates. It is mostly produced in your liver. An alkaline phosphatase level test (ALP test) measures
the amount of alkaline phosphatase enzyme in your bloodstream.
Total Protein Test
The total protein test measures the total amount of protein in your blood and specifically looks for the amount of albumin and
globulin.
Serum Albumin Test
Proteins circulate throughout your blood to help your body maintain fluid balance. Albumin is a type of protein the liver produces.
It's one of the most abundant proteins in your blood. Albumin also carries vital nutrients and hormones, and provides your body with
the proteins it needs to maintain growth and repair tissue.
Bilirubin Test
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is in everyone's blood and stool. If you notice a yellowing of your skin or the whites
of your eyes, this is called jaundice, and it may be caused by high levels of bilirubin.
Bilirubin is made in the body when old red blood cells are broken down. The breakdown of old cells is a normal, healthy process.
After circulating in your blood, bilirubin then travels to your liver. In the liver, bilirubin is excreted into the bile duct and stored
in your gall bladder. Eventually, the bilirubin is released the small intestine as bile to help digest fats and ultimately excreted with your stool.
Bilirubin attached to sugar is called “direct” or “conjugated” bilirubin, and bilirubin without sugar is called “indirect” or
“unconjugated” bilirubin. All the bilirubin in your blood together is called “total” bilirubin.
If bilirubin is not being attached to sugars (conjugated) in the liver and/or is not being adequately removed from the blood, it can
mean that there is damage to your liver. Testing for bilirubin in the blood is therefore a good test of damage to your liver.
Serum Globulin Test
This test is determining the specific levels of different types of globulin in the blood stream. These are used to help transport
proteins through the lipoproteins and assisting the blood in clotting.
SGOT-AST Test
AST is a protein made by liver cells. When liver cells are damaged, AST leaks out into the bloodstream and the level of AST in the
blood becomes higher than normal. AST is found in parts of the body other than the liver--including the heart, kidneys, muscles, and
brain. When cells in any of those parts of the body are damaged, AST can be elevated. A high AST level often means there is some liver damage.
SGOT-ALT Test
ALT (SGPT) is, by contrast, normally found largely in the liver. This is not to say that it is exclusively located in the liver,
but that is where it is most concentrated. It is released into the bloodstream as the result of liver injury. Thus, it serves as a
fairly specific indicator of liver status.