Electrophoresis of human alkaline and acid phosphatases

Zone electrophoresis has played an important part in understanding the inter- and intratissue heterogeneity of acid and alkaline phosphatases. Electrophoresis of alkaline phosphatase in serum is of practical diagnostic value in deciding between liver and bone as alternative, or coexisting, sources of a raised total activity and, more rarely, in helping to define the contributions of other alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes. Certain tissue-specific patterns of acid phosphatase zones are also diagnostically useful in confirming the identity of isoenzymes in serum indicated by other techniques.