Acid phosphatase

Acid phosphatase is a phosphatase, a type of enzyme, used to free attached phosphate groups from other molecules during digestion.It is basically a phospho homo esterase. It is stored in lysosomes and functions when these fuse with endosomes, which are acidified while they function; therefore, it has an acid pH optimum.

Different forms of acid phosphatase are found in different organs, and their serum levels are used as a diagnostic for disease in the corresponding organs. For example, elevated prostatic acid phosphatase levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.

Acid phosphatase catalyzes the following reaction at an optimal pH below 7:

Orthophosphoric monoester + H2O &rarr; alcohol + H3PO4

Differential Diagnosis
In alphabetical order.

Increased Acid Phosphatase

 * Benign prostatic hypertrophy
 * Bone metastases
 * Breast Cancer
 * Chronic Renal Disease
 * Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)
 * Gaucher's Disease
 * Hemolysis
 * Hyperparathyroidism
 * Leukemia
 * Liver disease
 * Megaloblastic anemia
 * Multiple Myeloma
 * Osteogenesis imperfecta
 * Osteosarcoma
 * Paget's Disease
 * Polycythemia
 * Prostate Cancer
 * Prostatic manipulation
 * Prostatitis
 * Thrombocytosis