Corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase (CALP) and intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IALP) from dogs were purified to homogeneity, as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Purification involved an uninterrupted system using DEAE-cellulose, concanavalin A-agarose, and monoclonal antibody affinity columns. The monoclonal antibody was prepared by use of IALP as the antigen. The 2 isoenzymes were compared, using molecular weight determinations, amino acid analyses, peptide mapping, N-terminal sequencing of the first 10 amino acids, carbohydrate analyses, and recognition by anti-IALP monoclonal antibody. The data indicated that canine IALP and CALP are identical with regard to recognition by monoclonal antibody and N-terminal amino acid sequence, nearly identical in amino acid content and peptide maps, but different in carbohydrate content. It was concluded that CALP is a product of the same gene as IALP and that differences in glycosyl transferase activities between liver and intestines or the presence of glycosidase activities in or around the intestinal mucosae result in the marked difference in carbohydrate content.

During initial studies, we found that many fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled anti-immunoglobulin conjugates were unstable and tended to aggregate and precipitate when used for indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. In some instances, the precipitate was extensive enough to interfere with interpretation of the test results. Attempts to resolve this problem resulted in a procedure by which such conjugates were digested with papain to Fab and Fc fragments before use. Aggregation and precipitation were prevented, while desired antibody activity was retained. Digestion with papain also reduced the diffuse background fluorescence (commonly referred to as nonspecific fluorescence or staining) that is often associated with conjugates before they are sorbed with tissue powders or chromatographed to remove highly labeled immunoglobulin molecules.