Biomarker Glossary

Adrenal hormone precursor that the body converts into cortisol

17-OHP · 17-OH progesterone · 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone

Vitamin D storage form reflecting individual supply status

calcidiol · 25-hydroxy vitamin D · 25(OH)D · vitamin D3 storage · calcifediol

Pituitary hormone that signals the adrenal glands to make cortisol

ACTH · corticotropin · adrenocorticotropic hormone

Primary plasma protein for protein synthesis, liver function, and nutritional status

serum albumin · plasma albumin · total protein fraction albumin

Adrenal hormone that regulates sodium, potassium and blood pressure

serum aldosterone · plasma aldosterone · urine aldosterone

Enzyme from liver, bile ducts and bone, often measured together with liver values

alkaline phosphatase · ALP · ALK PHOS

Waste product of protein metabolism that the liver converts into urea

NH3 · blood ammonia · plasma ammonia

Digestive enzyme from the pancreas and salivary glands that breaks down carbohydrates

alpha-amylase · serum amylase

Value calculated from electrolytes that gives clues about the acid-base balance

serum anion gap

Autoantibodies against citrullinated peptides, a lab marker for rheumatoid arthritis

anti-CCP · ACPA · CCP antibodies

Hormone made by the ovaries or testes; in women a lab indicator of ovarian reserve

AMH · anti-Müllerian hormone · Müllerian-inhibiting substance

Autoantibodies against components of the cell nucleus; screening test for suspected autoimmune disease

ANA · ANA test · antinuclear antibody

Apolipoprotein B – atherogenic lipoprotein particle count

Apolipoprotein B · ApoB-100

Clotting test that measures how many seconds a blood sample takes to clot

aPTT · PTT · partial thromboplastin time · activated partial thromboplastin time

Smallest subgroup of white blood cells, measured in the blood differential

basophil · basophil count

Main form of carbon dioxide in the blood and a marker of acid-base balance

HCO3 · total CO2 · TCO2 · CO2 content

Hemoglobin breakdown product – marker for liver health, bile flow, and hemolysis

total bilirubin · serum bilirubin · direct/indirect bilirubin · jaundice marker

Water-soluble B vitamin that can interfere with many lab immunoassays at high doses

Biotin · vitamin B7

Acids the body makes when it breaks down fat instead of glucose for energy

beta-hydroxybutyrate · beta-hydroxybutyric acid · BHB · serum ketones · ketone bodies

Pressure in the arteries, given as a systolic and a diastolic value in mmHg

arterial blood pressure · systolic blood pressure · diastolic blood pressure

Waste product of protein breakdown that the kidneys remove in urine

BUN · urea nitrogen · serum urea · blood urea

Body weight relative to height squared, given in kg/m²

BMI · body mass index · Quetelet index

How warm the body is, in degrees Celsius; one of the basic vital signs

normal body temperature

Made during insulin production; shows how much insulin the pancreas produces itself

insulin C-peptide · connecting peptide · proinsulin C-peptide

Hormone made by the C cells of the thyroid, a marker for medullary thyroid cancer

thyrocalcitonin

Primary mineral for bone health, muscle contraction, and nerve conduction

Ca · Ca2+ · serum calcium · total calcium · ionized calcium

Stress hormones of the adrenal glands: dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline)

fractionated catecholamines

Copper transport protein made by the liver that carries most of the copper in the blood

caeruloplasmin · ferroxidase

Electrolyte in the blood involved in fluid balance and acid-base balance

serum chloride · hypochloremia · hyperchloremia

Enzymes in the blood that the nervous system needs to transmit signals

CHE · pseudocholinesterase · butyrylcholinesterase · serum cholinesterase · plasma cholinesterase

Trace element from food that may enhance the action of insulin

Lab test that counts and sizes blood cells and measures hemoglobin and hematocrit

CBC · complete blood count · full blood count · CBC with differential

Essential trace element, usually measured in the blood as serum copper

serum copper

Adrenal stress hormone with a central role in metabolism

hydrocortisone · stress hormone · serum cortisol · salivary cortisol

Muscle enzyme in the blood that can rise after muscle strain or muscle damage

CK · CPK · creatine phosphokinase

Muscle metabolism byproduct used as a kidney function marker

serum creatinine · creatinin

Acute-phase protein as inflammation marker for infections and cardiovascular risk

C-reactive protein · hsCRP · high-sensitivity CRP · inflammation marker

Sensitive kidney filter marker independent of muscle mass – superior GFR estimator

Cys C · serum cystatin C · CKD-EPI cystatin C

Protein fragments produced when blood clots dissolve

D-dimers · fibrin degradation fragment

Adrenal steroid hormone serving as precursor for testosterone and estrogen

DHEA sulfate · dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate · DHEAS

White blood cells involved in allergies, parasite defense and inflammation

eosinophil count · absolute eosinophil count

Non-specific inflammation marker: how fast red blood cells settle in a test tube

ESR · sed rate · sedimentation rate · Westergren sedimentation rate

Kidney hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells

serum erythropoietin · erythropoetin

Primary female sex hormone for cycle regulation, bones, heart, and cognition

estradiol · 17β-estradiol · E2 · serum estradiol

Blood glucose after ≥ 8-hour fast – baseline marker for carbohydrate metabolism

fasting blood glucose · fasting plasma glucose · FPG · fasting blood sugar

Fasting insulin as an early marker of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome

fasting insulin · serum insulin · basal insulin

Protein from white blood cells in stool, a marker for inflammation in the intestines

calprotectin · faecal calprotectin

Pancreatic digestive enzyme measured in stool as an indicator of the pancreas's digestive function

stool elastase · pancreatic elastase · FE-1

Stool test for blood you cannot see, used among other things to detect colorectal cancer early

FOBT · FIT · iFOBT · gFOBT · fecal immunochemical test · stool occult blood test

Iron storage protein in the blood

serum ferritin · storage iron

Clotting factor I: a liver protein needed to form blood clots

clotting factor I · plasma fibrinogen

B vitamin for DNA synthesis, cell growth, and homocysteine breakdown

folate · vitamin B9 · 5-MTHF · methylfolate · folic acid

Active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine

fT3 · free triiodothyronine · FT3

Thyroid prohormone thyroxine

fT4 · free thyroxine · FT4

The portion of testosterone in the blood that is not bound to proteins

unbound testosterone

Pituitary hormone that drives egg maturation and sperm production

FSH · follitropin · follicle-stimulating hormone

Liver enzyme for bile duct disorders, alcohol use, and oxidative stress

γ-GT · gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase · GGT · gamma-GT

Glomerular filtration rate as a measure of kidney function

glomerular filtration rate · eGFR · estimated GFR · kidney filtration

Liver enzyme indicating cell damage

AST · aspartate aminotransferase · aspartate transaminase · SGOT

Liver-specific enzyme and primary indicator of liver damage

ALT · alanine aminotransferase · alanine transaminase · SGPT

Pituitary hormone that affects growth, metabolism, bones and muscles

somatotropin · human growth hormone · HGH

Liver protein that binds free hemoglobin in the blood; a marker of red blood cell breakdown

Hp

Long-term blood sugar average over 2–3 months

glycated hemoglobin · hemoglobin A1c · A1c · long-term blood sugar

High-density lipoprotein – the 'good' cholesterol

HDL · HDL-C · good cholesterol · high-density lipoprotein

Lab testing for potentially harmful metals such as lead, mercury or arsenic

heavy metal panel · heavy metals screen · toxic metals test

Share of red blood cells in total blood volume, expressed as a percentage

HCT · Hct · packed cell volume · PCV

Oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells

Hb · blood pigment · haemoglobin

Measure of insulin resistance from fasting values

Insulin Resistance Index · HOMA2-IR

Amino acid intermediate as vascular and cognition marker

tHcy · total homocysteine

Heart rate variability as a stress and recovery marker

heart rate variability · HRV score · RMSSD · SDNN

High-sensitivity inflammatory marker in the blood

high-sensitivity CRP · hs-CRP · high-sensitive CRP · hsCRP

Insulin-like growth factor – marker for the GH axis and biological aging

somatomedin C · insulin-like growth factor 1 · IGF-I

Antibodies of the immune system; the blood test usually measures the three main classes IgG, IgA and IgM

IgG · IgA · IgM · immunoglobulin G · immunoglobulin A · immunoglobulin M

Trace element the thyroid needs to make its hormones T4 and T3

iodide · urinary iodine

Metabolic product formed when cells make energy without enough oxygen

lactic acid · L-lactate

Enzyme found in almost all body tissues that enters the blood in larger amounts when tissue is damaged

LDH · lactate dehydrogenase · lactic acid dehydrogenase

Low-density lipoprotein – the 'bad' cholesterol

LDL · LDL-C · bad cholesterol · low-density lipoprotein

Pituitary hormone that controls ovulation and testosterone production

LH · lutropin · luteinizing hormone

Digestive enzyme for fats and a key lab value for the pancreas

serum lipase · pancreatic lipase

Lipoprotein(a) – genetically determined cardiac risk marker

Lipoprotein a · Lipoprotein(a) · Lp(a) cholesterol

White blood cells made up of B and T cells, measured in the blood differential

lymphocyte count

Essential mineral for over 300 enzyme reactions, muscles, and nerves

Mg · serum magnesium · magnesium sulfate

Average amount of hemoglobin in a single red blood cell

MCH · mean corpuscular hemoglobin · mean cell hemoglobin

Average concentration of hemoglobin in red blood cells

MCHC · mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration · mean cell hemoglobin concentration

Average size (volume) of a single red blood cell

MCV · mean corpuscular volume · mean cell volume

Metabolic byproduct that can rise in the blood with vitamin B12 deficiency

methylmalonate

White blood cells that fight germs and clear away dead cells

monocyte count · absolute monocyte count

Blood count value that shows the average size of your platelets

MPV · mean platelet volume

Blood test for two common variants in the MTHFR gene, which is involved in folate metabolism

MTHFR · MTHFR mutation · MTHFR gene variant · C677T · A1298C · methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase

Most common type of white blood cell, mainly involved in fighting bacterial infections

neutrophil count · absolute neutrophil count · segmented neutrophils · band neutrophils

Total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol, calculated from the lipid panel

non-HDL-C

Protein from the heart, measured mainly when heart failure is suspected

N-terminal proBNP · NT-pro-BNP

EPA+DHA proportion in red blood cell membranes as a cardiac risk biomarker

HS-Omega-3 Index · EPA+DHA · omega-3 fatty acids · erythrocyte omega-3

Challenge test that shows how the body handles a set amount of sugar

OGTT · glucose tolerance test

Concentration of all dissolved particles in blood, urine or stool, a measure of fluid balance

serum osmolality · plasma osmolality · urine osmolality

Oxygen level of the blood in percent, usually measured with a fingertip pulse oximeter

SpO2 · pulse oximetry · pulse ox

Hormone from the parathyroid glands that controls the calcium level in the blood

PTH · intact PTH · parathormone

Electrolyte containing the mineral phosphorus, important for bones, energy, nerves and muscles

inorganic phosphate · serum phosphate · hyperphosphatemia · hypophosphatemia

Blood cells needed for blood clotting, counted as part of the complete blood count

platelets · thrombocytes · PLT

Primary intracellular mineral for heart rhythm, blood pressure, and muscle contraction

K+ · serum potassium · potassium chloride

Liver-made blood protein measured as a pointer to nutritional status

transthyretin · thyroxine-binding prealbumin

Blood marker that can rise sharply in serious bacterial infections and sepsis

PCT

Corpus luteum hormone for cycle regulation, pregnancy, and GABA modulation

P4 · corpus luteum hormone · luteal phase hormone

Pituitary hormone that mainly controls breast growth and milk production

PRL

Amount of protein in urine, usually measured with a dipstick as part of a urinalysis

proteinuria · urine protein

Clotting tests that show how quickly blood plasma forms a clot

INR · PT/INR · prothrombin time · international normalized ratio · Quick value

Prostate protein measured in the blood and debated as a screening test

prostate-specific antigen · total PSA · PSA level

Blood count value that shows how much the size of your red blood cells varies

RDW-CV · RDW-SD · red cell distribution width · erythrocyte distribution width

Number of red blood cells, which use hemoglobin to carry oxygen from the lungs to every cell

red blood cells · erythrocytes · erythrocyte count

Kidney enzyme and hormone that helps control blood pressure via aldosterone

plasma renin activity · renin activity

Number of breaths per minute, one of the basic vital signs

breathing rate

Heartbeats per minute while your body is at rest, one of the vital signs

RHR · resting pulse

Young red blood cells whose number shows how actively the bone marrow makes new ones

reticulocytes · retic count · reticulocyte index · reticulocyte production index

Autoantibody in the blood measured when rheumatoid arthritis is being investigated

rheumatoid factors · RF test · RF blood test

Trace element for antioxidation, thyroid function, and immune defense

Se · serum selenium · selenoprotein P

Amount of iron circulating in the blood, one building block of iron testing

serum Fe · iron, serum

Sex hormone-binding globulin regulates the free fraction of testosterone and estradiol

sex hormone-binding globulin · testosterone-binding globulin · TeBG

Primary extracellular electrolyte for fluid balance, blood pressure, and nerve conduction

Na · Na+ · serum sodium · salt

Primary male sex hormone for muscle building, libido, and energy

total testosterone · testosterone total

Thyroid protein, mainly used as a follow-up marker after thyroid cancer

thyroglobulin tumor marker

Autoantibodies against the thyroid protein thyroglobulin, a marker in Hashimoto's

anti-Tg · TgAb · antithyroglobulin antibodies

Antibodies against tissue transglutaminase, the most common blood test for suspected celiac disease

tTG-IgA · anti-tTG · tTGA

Sum of all cholesterol fractions in the blood – entry point into the lipid profile

TC · total cholesterol · serum cholesterol

Total amount of immunoglobulin E antibodies in the blood; a building block of allergy lab testing

immunoglobulin E · total immunoglobulin E

Measure of how much iron transferrin and other blood proteins can bind

TIBC · iron-binding capacity

Sum of all proteins in blood serum, mainly albumin and globulins

serum total protein

Sum of bound and free thyroid hormone T3 in the blood

TT3 · total triiodothyronine

Sum of bound and free thyroxine, the main thyroid hormone in the blood

TT4 · total thyroxine

Autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase – primary marker for autoimmune thyroiditis

anti-TPO · MAK · microsomal antibodies · TPO-AK · anti-thyroid peroxidase

Iron transport protein for assessing iron metabolism capacity

serum transferrin · siderophilin · iron transport protein

Percentage of iron-loaded transferrin – key value for iron status and hemochromatosis

TS · transferrin saturation index · TSAT · serum iron/TIBC

Blood fats as energy reserve and atherosclerosis risk factor

blood fats · triacylglycerols · TG · TAG

Protein from heart muscle cells that enters the blood when the heart muscle is damaged

troponin T · troponin I · cTnT · cTnI · hs-troponin

Thyroid-stimulating hormone produced by the pituitary gland

thyrotropin · TSH basal · thyroid-stimulating hormone

Autoantibodies against the thyroid's TSH receptor, a marker in Graves' disease

TRAb · TRAK · TSHR antibodies · thyrotropin receptor antibodies

End product of purine metabolism – marker for gout risk and metabolic syndrome

serum uric acid · urate · hyperuricemia marker

Ratio of albumin to creatinine in urine, an early sign of kidney damage

ACR · UACR · microalbumin creatinine ratio · urine microalbumin

Fat-soluble vitamin for vision, immune function and growth, measured in blood as retinol

vitamin A · retinol

Water-soluble B vitamin with a central role in the energy metabolism of cells

vitamin B1 · thiamine · thiamin

Water-soluble vitamin for the nervous system, DNA synthesis, and blood formation

cobalamin · B12 · methylcobalamin · cyanocobalamin

Water-soluble B vitamin for energy production, cell growth and metabolism

vitamin B2 · riboflavin

Water-soluble B vitamin that helps turn food into energy

vitamin B3 · niacin · nicotinic acid · nicotinamide · niacinamide

Water-soluble B vitamin for energy metabolism and for making and breaking down fats

vitamin B5 · pantothenic acid · pantethine

B vitamin for amino acid metabolism, neurotransmitter production, and immune function

pyridoxine · pyridoxal-5-phosphate · PLP · B6

Water-soluble vitamin for connective tissue, wound healing and iron absorption

vitamin C · ascorbic acid · dehydroascorbic acid

Fat-soluble antioxidant protecting cell membranes from oxidative stress

α-tocopherol · tocopherol · vitamin E complex · tocotrienol

Fat-soluble vitamin that is important for blood clotting and healthy bones

phylloquinone · vitamin K1 · menaquinone · vitamin K2

Tape-measure reading around the waist that adds belly fat distribution to the BMI

waist measurement · waist size

Total number of white blood cells, a core value of every blood count

WBC · white blood cells · leukocyte count

Trace element for immune function, wound healing, and hormone synthesis

Zn · serum zinc · plasma zinc