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The Isoenzymes of Alkaline Phosphatase in Sera of Normal Pregnancy at Term

From the Section of Clinical Chemistry. Department of Pathology, Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois

Abstract

Medical literature contains conflicting reports concerning serum levels of placental (heat stable) and other (heat labile) isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase (AP) in normal and abnormal pregnancies. Only one investigation has been devoted extensively to the study of placental AP in normal pregnant patients near term. In this study the isoenzymes of AP present in the sera of 88 carefully selected pregnant subjects at term have been identified and quantitated using electrophoresis. The mixtures of isoenzymes identified arc studied using physicochemical inhibitors. Pregnant subjects near term have widely variable amounts of placental AP and also have larger amounts of liver AP than nonpregnant subjects. The data obtained suggest the existence of a maternal homeostatic mechanism to control blood levels of total enzyme. Physicochemical studies reveal that placental AP retains its individual characteristics when mixed in the scrum with the liver isoenzyme.