Serum alkaline phosphatase, nucleotide pyrophosphatase, 5'-nucleotide and lipoprotein-X in cholestasis.

The nature of the stationary band of alkaline phosphatase, which occurs on starch gel electrophoresis of sera from patients with biliary obstruction, has been examined. Stationary alkaline phosphatase was eluted from Sepharose 4-B gel close to the void volume and together with the plasma membrane enzymes, nucleotide pyrophosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase, and with lipoprotein-X. Electron microscopy of concentrates of stationary alkaline phosphatase, prepared by ultracentrifugation and gel filtration, showed large (0.3--1 mum diameter) and small structures (30-70 nm diameter) by negative staining. The activity of the stationary alkaline phosphatase was associated in fixed sections with particles of about 10 nm X 40 nm resembling those of lipoprotein-X. It is suggested that the stationary alkaline phosphatase does not move into starch gel during electrophoresis because it is particulate. In agar electrophoresis the alkaline phosphatase which was stationary on starch gel moved towards the cathode with lipoprotein-X.