Serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in thoroughbred foals determined by agarose gel electrophoresis and neuraminidase. Isoenzimas de fosfatasa alcalina en el suera de potrillos Fina Sangre de Carrera inglés obtenidas por electroforesis en gel de agarosa

Abstract

In order to obtain new information on serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes, sera from 7, 13 and 20 month-old foals were pro-treated with neuraminidase (sialidase of Vibrio choterae) and electrophoresed using a commercial agarose gel system. Relative migration rate was determined for each band and compared with horse tissue extract. Non treated and pre-treated serum with neuraminidase showed 2 and 3 bands respectively. The most anodic band was of parenchymal liver origin and it was present in all foals. The second band originated in the caecum and it was the most active. However, in 13 month-old foals, this band was not clearly determined. The 3rd one was composed of a bone origin isoenzyme (only for 7 month-old foal serum) and of caecum and liver in the older groups. The presence of the caecum isoenzyme during the horse's first year, indicates that a marked physiological caecum adaptation occurs as a consequence of a change of the diet during this period. This isoenzyme pattern changed after a year of life, and the liver isoenzymes were the ones that predominated. The agarose gel electrophoretic method used, together with the pretreatment of serum with neuraminidase, appears to be a reliable method to separate the serum ALP isoenzymes in horse