Factors Affecting Enzyme Levels in Plasma or Serum

Factors Affecting Enzyme Levels in Plasma or Serum  

The measured level of activity of an enzyme in blood is the result of the balance between the rate at which it is entering the circulation from its cells of origin and the rate at which it is removed. 

Enzymes are retained within their cells of origin by the plasma membrane surrounding the cell. The plasma membrane is a metabolically active part of the cell, and its 

Because of the very high concentrations of enzymes within the cell—thousands or even tens of thousands of times greater than the concentrations in extracellular fluid— and because extremely small amounts of enzyme can be detected by their catalytic activity, an increase of enzyme activity in the extracellular fluid or plasma is an extremely sensitive indicator of even minor cellular damage, some causes of which are Hsted in Table 8-2. 

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