ON RAT SERUM AMYLASE: III. THE CONTRIBUTION BY VARIOUS TISSUES TO SERUM AMYLASE ACTIVITY

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Abstract
The contribution of various tissues to the level of rat serum amylase has been investigated. The pancreas appeared to furnish significant amounts of the enzyme to serum. This was suggested by parallel decreases in pancreatic and serum amylase activity associated with fasting, partial pancreatectomy, and parenteral administration of ethionine. However, increased levels of pancreatic amylase, produced by high dietary concentrations of starch and sucrose, were not paralleled in the serum. Major pancreatectomy indicated that extra-pancreatic sources contribute to serum amylolytic activity. Fasting, partial pancreatectomy, and ethionine injection were followed by decreased amylase levels in serum and intestinal mucosa, and suggested the mucosa as a possible source of the serum enzyme. Depot fat contained appreciable amounts of amylase and is considered as a contributor to serum. This possibility is indicated by the highly significant increase produced in serum and depot fat amylase levels by a high dietary concentration of fat. Moreover a highly significant correlation was found between serum and depot fat amylase levels. It was noted that the high fat diet stimulated amylolytic activity of intestinal mucosa without affecting pancreatic amylase levels. The parotid glands had the highest tissue amylase levels but did not appear to contribute to the serum.

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