Human fetal organ alkaline phosphatases.

The properties of human fetal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) have been compared with those of purified human adult hepatic and intestinal ALPs. The ALPs from different human fetal organs were divided into two groups. One terminated universal type was presented in fetal liver, spleen, adrenal, kidney, lung, heart, pancreas, thymus and bone, and was similar to adult hepatic-type ALP. The other terminated intestinal type was presented in fetal intestine and meconium and was similar to adult intestinal ALP. The activity of human fetal intestinal ALP increased markedly with the advance of intra-uterine life during fetal development, and that of human fetal thymus ALP increased slightly.