Mammalian Alkaline Phosphatases – From Biology to Applications in Medicine and Biotechnology

Jose Luis Millan received his early training in Clinical Chemistry at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and received pre-doctoral training at the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation (the predecessor of the Burnham Institute) from 1977-1980. He completed his Ph.D. studies at the University of Ume?, Sweden in 1983. After a period of postdoctoral training at the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation he was appointed to the staff in 1986. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1989 and to Professor in 1994 at that Institution. He also held the Chair of Medical Genetics at the Department of Medical Biosciences, School of Medicine, Ume? University, Ume?, Sweden from 1995 to 2000. Dr. Millan is currently Professor at The Burnham Institute and he maintains adjunct affiliations with Ume? University and the Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery, Murcia, Spain. Professor Millan has dedicated most of his scientific carrier to the understanding of the structure and biological functions of alkaline phosphatases during development and the significance of their re-expression in malignancy. This book highlights and discusses the major advances made in this field in the last 25 years.

PART I: GENE AND PROTEIN STRUCTURE 1 Gene Structure 2 Developmental Expression 3 Gene Regulation 4 Protein Structure and Functional Domains 5 Enzymatic Properties 6 Epitope Maps PART II: IN VIVO FUNCTIONS 7 The In Vivo Role of TNAP 8 Knockout Mouse Models PART III: AP EXPRESSION IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 9 APs as Physiological and Disease Markers 10 Neoplastic Expression of PLAP, GCAP, IAP (Regan, Nagao, Kasahara) and TNAP Isozymes PART IV: USES OF APS IN INDUSTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 11 Applications of Recombinant APs 12 Use of APs in Prodrug Converting Strategies 13 APs as Therapeutic Agents 14 APs in the Food Industry 15 Veterinary Uses of AP Determinations 16 Methodologies