PKU TEST AGAR BASE

Description

Phenylketonuria is a congenital defect caused due to absence of phenylalanine hydroxylase. As a result of this, phenylalanine accumulates in the blood, which is excreted via urine hence it is called as phenylketonuria. Subsequently this deficiency may cause brain damage resulting in mental retardation. Guthrie and Tiekelmann devised a modified inhibition assay for early detection of PKU using blood / urine samples of newborn infants having low levels of phenylalanine by determining the serum phenylalanine levels or the level of phenylpyruvic acid in urine. PKU Test Agar Base, developed by Demain is a chemically defined medium, which is supplemented with b-2-thienylalanine. It provides the agar bed for testing blood samples.