About Us Contact Information Main Facilities Methods Turn Around Time Sample Preparation and Shipment Service and Current Rates Interpretation Reference Papers Sample Submission Form (pdf)

About Us The Amino Acid Laboratory is in the Department of Molecular Biosciences of the School of Veterinary Medicine and is part of Dr. Andrea Fascetti’s research laboratory.  It offers analyses for research and diagnostic purposes.  It is a nonprofit lab and the fee structure is approved by the University. Contact Information Phone: (530) 752-5058 Fax: (530) 752-4698 Main facilities Biochrom 30 Amino acid analyzer Beckman 6300 amino acid analyzer PerkinElmer Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (800) with flow injection analysis system (FIAS) ATI Mattson Fourier Transform Infra Red spectrometer Methods (Top of Page) Complete amino acids in physiological fluid samples:  add 6% Sulfosalicylic Acid (SSA) (1:1) to sample for deproteinization, centrifuge the mixture at 14000 rm for 25 minutes, filter the supernatant through 0.45 mm syringe drive PTFE filter, adjust pH to 2.2, load 50 ml on Biochrom 30 amino acid analyzer. Complete amino acids in solid samples: hydrolyze 5 mg sample using 5 ml of 6 Nmol HCl in sealed ampoule (110 oC, 24 hrs.), dry the sample with nitrogen gas, dissolve it again in loading buffer, filter the hydrolyte and load 50 ml on Biochrom 30 amino acid analyzer w/o dilution. Free amino acids in tissues or feed: add 3% SSA solution to homogenized sample (10:1 V:W), let stand overnight at room temperature, centrifuge and filter the supernatant (0.45mm), adjust pH to 2.2 and load 50 ml on Biochrom 30 amino acid analyzer. Taurine in plasma, urine, tissue and feed: sample preparation procedure is the same as complete amino acid analysis.  Analyses are done with a Beckman 6300 amino acid analyzer. Whole blood taurine: samples are frozen and thawed twice to break the cells and release all taurine before further processing. Mineral Analysis: Analysis of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ca, Mg, and K uses Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer with either flame (ppm level) or graphite furnace (ppb level).  Solid samples are digested with nitric acid.    As and Se analyses use FIAS (Flow Injection Analysis System) with Graphite Furnace    Hg analysis use Atomic Absorbtion with Flow Injection Analysis System    P & N use color metric method D2O analysis: FTIR Analysis   Turn Around Time and Results: (Top of Page) Blood, Plasma, Urine, and other liquid samples: Complete Amino Acid  analysis takes 5-10 working days.  Sample numbers larger than 60 may take little longer time. Taurine analysis takes 5 working days. Analyses of mineral elements take 5 work days.  Food, body tissue, and other solid samples: Samples needing hydrolysis or digestion will require 3 additional days. Sample preparation (Top of Page) Plasma preparation: Draw 2 ml or more of blood using a green top vacutainer with heparin (not outdated). Invert green top tube 5 times to mix the heparin. If the blood is drawn in a heparinized syringe, draw 1ml air befow inverting the syringe 5 times to mix blood and heprain, then remove needle before expressing blood into a centrifuge tube. Immediately centrifuge the blood. Immediately take off the plasma using a Pasteur pipette or eye dropper. Take care not to disturb the buffy coat (white blood cells contain a lot of taurine). Put the heparinized plasma into another clean tube. Heparinized plasma should not be hemolyzed and may be straw colored. Whole blood preparation: Take 1 ml or more of blood using current (not outdated) sodium or lithium heparin as an anticoagulant. Use a current green top tube or a heparinized syringe containing 2 to 3 drops of heparin. Draw blood then draw 1 cc air for mixing space. Invert syringe or vacutainer 5 times to mix the heparin. Syringe drawn heparinized whole blood should be transferred to a clean tube. Please ship in a secondary container. DO NOT USE A SEPARATOR TUBE FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE PROCEDURES. Handling of Samples for Shipment: Samples of plasma, whole blood or urine can be shipped unfrozen if shipped on the same day as taken. Keep sample in refrigerator until shipped. If the sample is stored overnight or longer, the sample should be frozen. Put plasma, whole blood and urine samples in plastic tubes OR place the glass tubes in a secondary plastic container. Ship samples in frozen cold packs. Send Express Overnight Mail Monday through Thursday only. If shipped by U.S. Mail, send Monday through Wednesday only. Please note that the laboratory does not receive deliveries on the weekend. Ship to the following address: Amino Acid Laboratory Dept. Molecular Biosciences School of Veterinary Medicine 1311 Haring Hall University of California at Davis Davis, CA 95616-8741 Click Submission Form to down load it.  Please complete the submission form as thoroughly as possible and then put it in a zip plastic bag and include it in the package.  Please do not prepay by check. You will be invoiced. Services and Current Rates: From June 30, 2005. (Top of Page) Handling Fee: There is handling fee of $4.41 for non UC customers ($4.09 for UC customers) for each patient. Taurine Analysis: Non-UC Rates UC Recharge Rates Plasma $29.88 / Sample $27.72 / Sample Whole Blood $36.48 / Sample $33.84 / Sample Food $49.39 / Sample $45.81 / Sample Urine $44.19 / Sample $40.99 / Sample Complete Amino Acid Analysis Non-UC Rates UC Recharge Rates (1 to 25 samples) $83.05/sample $77.04/sample 26-50 samples 5% Disc $78.90/sample $73.19/sample 51-100 samples 10% Disc $74.74/sample $69.34/sample 101-200 samples 15% Disc $70.59/sample $65.48/sample 201 and greater 20% Disc $66.44/sample $61.63/sample Miscellaneous Non-UC Rates UC Recharge Rates Specialty Sample Analysis $90.28/sample $83.75/sample D20 Analysis-Single $6.21/sample $5.76/sample Mineral/element in solution $7.32/sample $6.79/sample Mineral/element in solid $13.02/sample $12.08/sample   Normal Taurine Values (nmols/ml) for Cat & Dog (Top of Page) Plasma (nmol/ml) Whole Blood (nmol/ml) Normal Range No known risk for  taurine deficiency Normal Range No known risk for  taurine deficiency Cat 80-120 >40 300-600 >200 Dog 60-120 >40 200-350 >150 Interpretation Reference for Cats Reference for Dogs Reference for Horses Reference Papers (Top of Page) S. Delaney Article(pdf) Torres Article(pdf) Spitze Article(pdf)

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