Leonard Apt, MD

Who invented the Apt Test?

The test was developed by Leonard Apt, MD, an American pediatric ophthalmologist.

Who is Leonard Apt?

Dr. Apt is recognized as the founder of academic pediatric ophthalmology. He is the first physician to be board-certified in both pediatrics and ophthalmology. At UCLA, he established the first full-time division of pediatric ophthalmology at a medical school in the United States.

What is the Apt test used for?

The test was originally used to identify the source of bloody stools in newborn babies. It has since been modified to distinguish fetal from maternal hemoglobin in blood samples from any source.

How does the Apt test work?

The Apt test exploits the differences in maternal and fetal hemoglobin. Fetal hemoglobin is resistant to alkali denaturation, whereas adult hemoglobin is denatured under basic conditions. Exposing blood to sodium hydroxide will yield distinct color differences based on hemoglobin viability (adult = yellow, fetal = pink).

*Photo Courtesy of Jules Stein Eye Institute Medical Photography