Physicochemical and pathophysiological factors in the release of membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase from cells.

Alkaline phosphatase is bound to cell membranes by a glycan phosphatidylinositol anchoring domain. The structure of this domain and ways in which it may be cleaved by chemical and enzymatic means provide a basis for understanding the solubilization of alkaline phosphatase from tissues in vitro and in vivo and the generation of isoforms.