phosphatase

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English phosphate Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ- (dĭă-) Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi Ancient Greek ῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ) Ancient Greek δῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) English diastase English -ase English phosphatase From phosphate + -ase.

1. Any of several enzymes that hydrolyze phosphate esters, and are important in the metabolism of carbohydrates, nucleotides and phospholipids, and in the formation of bone.

   “These results are in accordance with the observations of Pirani et al., who found that in normal pregnancy there was no correlation between serum heat-stable alkaline phosphatase activity and crude baby weight or placental weight.”