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ALP
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The Test Sample
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What is being tested?Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme, a protein that helps cells work. You find alkaline phosphatase in high concentrations in the cells that make bone and in the liver. In the liver, it is found on the edges of cells that join to form bile ducts (tiny tubes that drain bile from the liver to the bowels where it is needed to help digest fat in the diet). Smaller amounts of ALP are found in the placenta (afterbirth) of women who are pregnant, and in the bowel. Each of these body parts makes different forms of ALP. The different forms are called isoenzymes.
How is the sample collected for testing?
A blood sample is taken by needle from a vein in the arm.
NOTE: If undergoing medical tests makes you or someone you care for anxious, embarrassed, or even difficult to manage, you might consider reading one or more of the following articles: Coping with Test Pain, Discomfort, and Anxiety, Tips on Blood Testing, Tips to Help Children through Their Medical Tests, and Tips to Help the Elderly through Their Medical Tests.
Another article, Follow That Sample, provides a glimpse at the collection and processing of a blood sample and throat culture.
Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?
Fasting is preferred but not required for this test. Eating a meal can increase the ALP level slightly for a few hours in some people. It is usually better to do the test after fasting overnight.
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This article was last reviewed on
July 30, 2007.
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