text: Nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP) is a class of dimeric enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphate diester bonds. NPP belongs to the alkaline phosphatase (AP) superfamily of enzymes. Humans express seven known NPP isoforms, some of which prefer nucleotide substrates, some of which prefer phospholipid substrates, and others of which prefer substrates that have not yet been determined. In eukaryotes, most NPPs are located in the cell membrane and hydrolyze extracellular phosphate diesters to affect a wide variety of biological processes. Bacterial NPP is thought to localize to the periplasm.