Measurement of Alpha GST Release from 3D InSight™ Liver Microtissues

This technical note details a protocol for determining injury to liver hepatocytes as measured through the release of alpha-GST. Hepatocytes contain high amounts of metabolic enzymes, which are released upon cellular injury into the cell culture supernatant. Beside the commonly used markers alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alpha GST (αGST) is increasingly being used as a liver injury marker. αGST provides advantages as a biomarker for hepatotoxicity due to its high cytosolic concentration in hepatocytes and its rapid release upon their injury. Detection of alpha-GST release is therefore a specific and early indicator of hepatocyte injury.