The development of alkaline phosphatase (AP) has been studied in two species of Urodele amphibian, Ambystoma qracile and Taricha torosa. The enzyme is present in embryo homogenates at gastrulation and increases immensely in activity as development proceeds to the free-swimming stages. The activity level is a product of two isozymic forms that change quantitatively. Using histochemical detection methods, it was possible to correlate the specific activity and electrophoretic data with histological AP development. Some function of AP were related to the available data. A correlation between substrate specificities and function is proposed which may assist in understanding the role of AP in the process of differentiation / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.