Measurement of δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase activity.

Vertebrate ALAD is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the second step of porphyrin formation, and it is expressed abundantly in liver and erythroid tissues as well as in other tissues. This unit describes a colorimetric assay for measuring ALAD activity in mammalian blood or tissues and the extent of reactivation of the enzyme in lead-inhibited samples.