Expression of alkaline phosphatases during embryonic development and immature stages of the earthworm, Eisenia andrei

Expression of alkaline phosphatases in developing embryo and mature stages of the earthworm, Eisenia andrei was investigated. The embryonic stages examined in this study appeared to have only one slow-moving form of alkaline phosphatase which had a different mobility from the intestinal alkaline phosphatases of the mature worm, suggesting that intestinal alkaline phosphatases of embryos may be different from mature forms. A surge in alkaline phosphatase activity after hatching is consistent with the expression of mature forms of intestinal alkaline phosphatase and this increase would be associated with postnatal differentiation of the intestine.