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THE STABILITY OF ACID PHOSPHATASE IN BLOOD AND OTHER FLUIDS
Author(s) -
Daniel Owen
Publication year - 1954
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1954.tb06078.x
Subject(s) - acid phosphatase , chemistry , human blood , phosphatase , alkaline phosphatase , chromatography , biochemistry , blood serum , endocrinology , enzyme , biology , physiology
SUMMARY The acid phosphatase of dilute human seminal plasma is inactivated by heating at 37° C. in the presence of a variety of inorganic buffer mixtures of p H below 4 and above 6.6; at slightly higher p H when serum is present; and at p H 7.2 to 7.4 in human and dog blood kept fluid by neutral citrate/dextrose solutions. The acid phosphatase found in the blood of normal subjects and patients with carcinoma of the prostate is stable for long periods at 37° C. in blood of p H 7.2 to 7.4 kept fluid by neutral citrate/dextrose solutions. Serum separated from the clot from which it has been expelled and exposed to the atmosphere undergoes an alkaline change which makes its acid phosphatase liable to rapid inactivation at temperatures over 20° C. (68° F.). Serum in contact with its clot remains at p H 7.4 for a considerable time, and under these conditions the acid phosphatase in the serum is stable at temperatures below 30° C. (86° F.) for periods up to twenty‐four hours. Determination of the acid phosphatase in the plasma of blood kept fluid by acid citrate/dextrose solutions has the following advantages over serum acid phosphatase determination: (1) Plasma acid phosphatase levels are greater than those of the corresponding serum levels; (2) errors due to hæmolysis of red blood cells are less likely to occur with plasma than serum determinations; (3) plasma determinations may be made sooner after blood is drawn than serum determinations; (4) less blood is required for plasma than serum determinations; (5) acid phosphatase is so stable in blood preserved with acid citrate/dextrose solution that determinations may be delayed for a week.