Amylase activity and the isoenzymes in animals.

α-Amylase (1, 4-ƒ¿-D-Glucan glucanohydrolase E.C. 3. 2. 1. 1.) distributes widely in micro organisms, animals and plants. In animals, the characterization of the enzyme was reported using the rat1), mouse2), hamster3), dog4), rabbit5), cat6), kangaroo7), silkworm8) and human9-10). Our previous reports indicated that the serum amylase was released from the parotid gland by the administration of sympathomimetic or parasympathomimetic drugs11). We reported that the parotid gland was a major source of serum amylase in mouse12). Although the amylase activity in rat serum is not so high as that in the parotid gland or the pancreas, the serum amylase keeps at a constant level of activity. We reported previously that starch or glycogen was hydrolyzed by rat serum and oligosaccharide and glucose were produced by enzyme reactions13). The purpose of this experiment is to find out the amylase activity in the the serum of some animals and to compare the enzyme activities and isoamylase patterns in some of the organs of the animals.