Non-homogeneity of serum alkaline phosphatase activity in certain diseases of the liver and bile ducts investigated by polyacrylamide electrophoresis.

In 47 patients with hepatocellular or obstructive jaundice and 20 healthy controls the alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme pattern was determined by means of electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. It was demonstrated that the main activity of alkaline phosphatase (AP) in healthy subjects was connected with beta globulins while beta lipoproteins contained only traces of this activity. In hepatocellular jaundice during viral hepatitis only a slight rise was found of the activities of isoenzymes present in healthy subjects, and no zones of additional activity were found. In obstructive jaundice of benign as well malignant etiology the beta lipoprotein zone increased also significantly, moreover an additional activity zone was revealed moving in the gel together with alpha2macroglobulins. In 40% of cases of obstructive jaundice caused by metastatic malignant neoplasms in the liver a 4-fraction isoenzyme pattern of AP was demonstrated with additional activity in the haptoglobin zone.