Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life. Watch Now. Cooper Barrett, along with his friends/roommates Barry and Neal, is figuring out his life beyond hedonistic behavior. Cooper is seriously attracted to neighbor Kelly while ignoring advice from his brother Josh and his wife Leslie.
An aspartate aminotransferase (AST) test measures the amount of this enzyme in the blood. AST is normally found in red blood cells, liver, heart, muscle tissue, pancreas, and kidneys. AST formerly was called serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT).
AST is a protein made by liver cells. When liver cells are damaged, AST leaks out into the bloodstream and the level of AST in the blood becomes higher than normal. AST is different from ALT because AST is found in parts of the body other than the liver--including the heart, kidneys, muscles, and brain.