Overview

• Highest levels in renal tubular epithelial cells, canalicular surfaces of hepatocytes and bile duct epithelium. Also present in pancreas and small intestine.
• Hepatobiliary system is main source of serum GGT in health and disease.
• May be valuable in the cat where ALP has a short half-life.

Sampling

Tests

Methodologies

• Vary between laboratories.

Availability

• Widely available.

Validity

Sensitivity

• Lower sensitivity than ALP in detection of liver disease, but greater specificity.

Specificity

• Lower specificity than ALP in detection of liver disease, but greater sensitivity.

Technique (intrinsic) limitations

• Test results most significant in conjunction with other laboratory results and clinical findings.

Result Data

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from VetMedResource and PubMed.
• Spano J A, August J R, Henderson R A, Dumas M B & Groth A H Jr (1983) Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in healthy cats and cats with induced hepatic disease. Am J Vet Res 44 (11), 2049-2053.
• Nilkumhang P & Thornton J R (1979) Plasma and tissue enzyme activities in the cat. JSAP 20 (3), 169-174.

Other sources of information

• Ettinger S J & Feldman E C (2000) Eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 5th edn. W B Saunders & Co, USA.
• Kaneko J J, Harvey J W & Brass M L (1997) Eds. Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals. 5th edn. Academic Press, USA.
• Duncan J R, Prasse K W & Mahaffey E A (1994) Veterinary Laboratory Medicine. Clinical Pathology. 3rd edn. Iowa University Press, USA.