Isolation and Measurement of Pancreatic Amylase in Human Serum and Urine

Abstract

We describe a sensitive quantitative procedure for separating isoamylases in human serum, urine, and tissue homogenates. Two components have been discerned with chromatographic characteristics resembling those of pancreatic and salivary amylases, respectively. Several lines of evidence—derived from studies in normal subjects, pancreatectomized patients, and patients with acute pancreatitis—indicate that the pancreas is probably the source of the component in serum and urine that exhibits characteristics of pancreatic amylase. The source of the component resembling salivary amylase has not yet been fully defined. Isoamylase analysis of extracts of fallopian tube and liver revealed two amylase components with chromatographic properties similar to pancreatic and salivary amylases, respectively.