Comparative studies on electrophoretic mobility and immunogenicity of pancreatic and parotid amylases of rat.

1. The alpha-amylases (1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.1) of rat serum, urine, pancreas, parotid gland and liver were separated by electrophoresis on a cellulose acetate membrane. They were found to be of three different types: a parotid gland type, a pancreatic type and a liver type. Rat serum and urine contained parotid type amylase only. 2. Antisera were prepared in rabbits against purified rat pancreatic amylase and parotid amylase. In addition to strong reactions between pancreatic amylase and its antiserum and between parotid amylase and its antiserum, a weak cross-reaction was observed between parotid amylase and anti-pancreatic amylaseserum. Anti-parotid-amylase serum gave an immunoprecipitation line with rat serum and urine, but anti-pancreatic-amylase serum did not, indicating that the amylases in serum and urine originate from parotid amylase.