Demonstration of placental and placental-like alkaline phosphatase in non-malignant human tissue extracts using monoclonal antibodies in an enzyme immunoassay.

The occurrence and nature of heat-stable placental-type alkaline phosphatase (Pl-ALP) in extracts from a variety of non-malignant human tissues has been investigated using monoclonal antibodies in a sensitive solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. The presence of Pl-ALP was confirmed in testicular, cervical and lung tissue extracts, and trace amounts were also detected in extracts from mammary and ovarian tissue. Evidence is presented that normal testis contains at least two forms of Pl-ALP, the major component being an L-leucine-inhibitable placental-like enzyme which is not the D-variant of Pl-ALP. These results have a bearing on the occurrence of Pl-ALP and placental-like ALP activity in malignancy.