Abstract: This invention provides an alkaline phosphatase or an active derivative of placental alkaline phosphatase to prevent or reduce one, two, or all three of interrelated metabolic disorders, i.e. insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia. Alkaline phosphatase or an active derivative of placental alkaline phosphatase is suitable to prevent or reduce diseases and disorders relating to insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia including type 2 diabetes, epithelial cancers, myopia, acne, acanthosis nigricans, polycystic ovary syndrome, cutaneous papillomas, hypertension, renal dysfunction, microvascular and macrovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic fat liver, dyslipidemia, sleep-disordered breathing, atherosclerosis, coronary artery (heart) disease, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, accelerated aging, stroke, and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include the use of a composition of placental alkaline phosphatase or other members of the alkaline phosphatase family alone, or in combination with human transferrin and, optionally, human ?1-antitrypsin to enhance the in vitro proliferation and survival of adult or embryonic stem cells and/or progenitor cells that are derived from stem cells.