Abstract

Tissue distributions of alanine aminotransferase (AlAT - formerly GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT - formerly GOT), ornithine carbamyl transferase (OCT), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), creatine kinase (CK), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and aldolase (Ald) were determined in phocid and otariid seals, and in two cetacean species. In pinnipeds, AlAT, OCT, and SDH were concentrated primarily in liver; AspAT had a widespread distribution; CK and Ald were primarily in muscle, and GGT and LAP, in kidney. In cetaceans, AlAT, AspAT, and SDH were highest in liver, CK in muscle with relatively high concentrations in skin; GGT in kidney, and alkaline phosphatase in intestine>kidney>liver.

Notes

The effect of oil pollution on seals can be determined by assessing plasma enzyme activity.

Tissue Enzyme Levels

AlAT - Cetacean kidney as well as liver.
OCT - Very specific for the liver in seals and found in no other organs.
SDH - produced also by the kidney and thyroid of some seals and cetaceans.
AspAT - found in heart muscle as well as liver.

Chronic processes do not elevate liver enzymes, only acute ones do. Trematodes can increase liver enzyme readings thirty days post-exposure to metacercaria. The time of year a sample is taken can influence enzyme readings. AspAt levels for example will change from the reproductive to the resting seasons.

Liver disease - SDH, OCT, AlAT are elevated
CCl₄ poisoning - AspAT is elevated
Heart & muscle - AspAT, CK, Ald. are elevated

Creatinine kinase levels increase readily under stressful conditions so be careful of elevated readings after the stress of handling.