Overview
Aminotransferases, also known as transaminases, are enzymes that catalyze the transfer of an amino group from an amino acid to a keto acid, linking amino acid metabolism with energy and carbohydrate pathways. They are central to processes such as amino acid synthesis and breakdown, gluconeogenesis, and nitrogen handling, and most require vitamin B6 (in the form of pyridoxal phosphate) as a cofactor. Two of the best known, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, are widely used in clinical medicine as markers of liver and tissue health, since elevated blood levels can signal damage to the liver or other organs. Altered aminotransferase activity is therefore relevant to metabolic and hepatic conditions, including fatty liver disease and complications of diabetes. Within the broad scope of amino acid science, aminotransferases are studied in relation to amino acid metabolism, the biochemistry of vitamin B6–dependent reactions, and their role as indicators in liver disease and metabolic disorders. By connecting enzyme function with clinical and nutritional significance, the field bridges fundamental biochemistry and applied medicine. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to aminotransferases and to the wider study of amino acid metabolism.
Research published in this journal
2 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
How this research is being cited
The 2 articles above have been cited 31 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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2025 · Pharmacological Research
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2024 · Behavioural Brain Research
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2024 · Reproduction
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2023 · Biomedicines
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2023 · Frontiers in Microbiology
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2023 · Cells
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Tryptophan Metabolites as Biomarkers for Esophageal Cancer Susceptibility, Metastasis, and Prognosis2022 · Frontiers in Oncology
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2022 · Nature Communications
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Aminotransferases, linking to each citing work.