α-Ketoglutarate (α-KG)  is a key intermediate in the Krebs cycle, coming after isocitrate and before succinyl CoA. Anaplerotic reactions replenish the cycle by synthesizing α-KG from transamination of glutamate, or through the action of glutamate dehydrogenase.  α-KG is an important nitrogen transporter. Being a key intermediate, it is one of the organic acids measured in newborns as an indicator of inborn errors of metabolism.  BioVision's α-Ketoglutarate Assay Kit provides a simple, sensitive and rapid means for quantifying α-KG in a variety of samples. In the assay, α-ketoglutarate is transaminated with the generation of pyruvate which is utilized to convert a nearly colorless probe to both color (570 nm) and fluorescence (Ex/Em 535/587 nm). The α-Ketoglutarate Assay Kit is useful for detecting α-ketoglutarate in the range of 0.01 to 10 nmoles.