What is "alkaline phosphatase"

n. (context enzyme English) Any of a group of phosphatases that are most active in an alkaline environment

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP, ALKP, ALPase, Alk Phos) is a hydrolase enzyme responsible for removing phosphate groups from many types of molecules, including nucleotides, proteins, and alkaloids. The process of removing the phosphate group is called dephosphorylation. As the name suggests, alkaline phosphatases are most effective in an alkaline environment. It is sometimes used synonymously as basic phosphatase. Undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells have elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase on their cell membrane.