Quantitative alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme determination by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes

We present a new method for quantitative determination of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes. This method consists of electrophoretic separation on cellulose acetate membranes, special fixation technique to avoid elution and diffusion of enzyme protein during incubation, specific staining, and quantitative evaluation by densitometric measurement. We highly recommend the precedure for routine clinical laboratory use. In all normal individuals we observe two isoenzymes of hepatic origin and one isoenzyme each of osseous, intestinal, and biliary origin. Quantitative normal values are presented. Precision of the method is calculated, the CV being less than 10%. The exactness of densitometric quantification is proved by comparison with kinetic assay of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes by use of an elution method. Clinical implications of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymograms are reported and discussed in detail.