The effects of divalent cations and of some inhibitors on the activities of alkaline phosphatase and ATPase were examined in rat jejunal brush-border membranes (BBM) isolated by tha Ca(2+)-(BBMCa) or the Mg(2+)-precipitation method (BBMMg). Similar results were found in BBMCa and BBMMg though generally higher in BBMCa. Alkaline phosphatase activity was stimulated by 5 mM MgCl2 (30% to 44%), but not by 5 mM CaCl2 or 0.1 mM ZnCl2, at pH 9.5 or 7.4. ATPase activity was equally stimulated by 5 mM MgCl2 and by 5 mM CaCI2 (about 150%). Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly inhibited by 1 mM vanadate, 5 mM diamox, 5.0 mM L-leucine and 1 mM theophylline. In contrast, Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase activities were not depressed by those alkaline phosphatase inhibitors, but were inhibited by 0.1 mM trifluoperazine (more than 70%). 0.1 mM ZnCl2 also appeared to be inhibitory to Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase, but not to alkaline phosphatase activity even in the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+. These results suggest that Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase activities of the rat jejunal BBM are not merely manifestations of alkaline phosphatase, but rather belong to (a) distinct enzyme(s).