Therefore, to more effectively test a chemical compound's mutagenicity in relation to larger organisms, rat liver enzymes can be added in an attempt to replicate the metabolic processes' effect on the compound being tested in the Ames Test.
The Ames test is used to evaluate the potential for a chemical compound to cause mutations. To make this test more accurate, rat liver enzymes are added to it because they mimic the way that the body metabolizes chemicals.