Alkaline phosphatases (AP) are glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored, dimeric, Zn2+ metallated glycoproteins that catalyze the hydrolysis of phospho-monoesters into an inorganic phosphate and an alcohol. There are at least four distinct but related alkaline phosphatases: intestinal (IAP), placental (PLAP), placental-like (ALP-1 or GCAP) and tissue non-specific (TNAP). The first three are located together on chromosome 2 while the tissue non-specific form is located on chromosome 1. TNAP is widely expressed in liver, kidney, bone, stomach and colon, and is therefore referred to as the tissue non-specific form of AP. TNAP, in conjuntion with plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1, function in bone mineralization; however, mice that lack a functional form of TNAP show normal skeletal development.