Alanine is the second most abundant of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids. While nonessential, it plays a key role in the glucose-alanine cycle between tissues and liver. In muscle and other tissues that degrade amino acids, amino groups are pooled as glutamate by transamination. Glutamate then transfers the amino group to pyruvate via alanine aminotransferase, forming alanine and α-ketoglutarate. The alanine formed is passed into the blood and transported to the liver. A reverse of the alanine aminotransferase reaction takes place in liver converting alanine to pyruvate. Pyruvate can then be used in gluconeogenesis, to form glucose which may return to other tissues through the circulatory system. There appears to be a correlation between alanine levels and high blood pressure, energy intake, cholesterol levels, and body mass index. BioVision’s Alanine Assay Kit provides an easy and sensitive detection of alanine in various samples. In the kit, alanine is converted to pyruvate which is then detected specifically by colorimetric (λ=570 nm; detecting range 0.5-10 nmol) or fluorescence (Ex/Em 535/587 nm; detecting range 0.05-1 nmol) methods. The kit can detect ~2 mM concentration of alanine in various samples.