Changes in alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activity in tissues and plasma of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) before and during smoltification and gonadal maturation.

Changes in tissue and plasma isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were qualitatively and quantitatively determined for male and female Atlantic salmon parr, silvery parr, smolt, immature grilse, prespawning grilse and postspawning grilse using cellulose acetate electrophoresis, densitometry and spectrophotometry. Tissue ALP isoenzymes were isolated from intestine, kidney, bone, liver, and gonad and compared to plasma isoenzymes. Parr plasma displayed three isoenzymes from bone and liver (slow and fast). During smoltification, ALP activity increased in tissue extracts from liver, gonad, and kidney of males and females. Total plasma ALP activity also increased and was due to slow and fast liver isoenzymes. During ovarian development, total ALP plasma activity increased in females and was due mostly to liver isoenzymes and an incompletely identified isoenzyme or isoenzyme mixture (band 2). However, in males total ALP plasma activity did not increase during maturation and no band 2 was evident. In male and female maturing adult grilse, bone ALP activity declined and the isoenzyme band evident in parr plasma could not be detected. ALP activity declined in the plasma of postspawning males and females. In females this was due partly to the total clearance of band 2 from the plasma, together with lowered levels of liver isoenzymes. Treatment of postspawned grilse in February and March with triiodothyronine and thyroxine elevated plasma thyroid hormone levels and increased plasma ALP levels. In conclusion, plasma ALP isoenzyme activities change with physiological state, and knowledge of the conditions governing these changes is important when using these enzymes as a diagnostic tool.