Abstract
The usefulness of the separation of the amylase isozymes for the clinical test and the investigation for the standardization of the nomenclature of the individual isozyme were discussed.
The easiness of handling, the completeness of separation and the sensitivity for amylase activity were compared of the supporting media between cellogel membrane and thin layer polyacrylamide gel. Only two major components could be separated by cellogel membrane. However, it was impossible to separate the minor components by this method. As the incompleteness of separation of isozymes leads us to misjudgement, cellogel membrane was not suitable as the supporting medium for electrophoresis of amylase isozymes.
On the other hand, up to 8 amylase isozymes, were separated in serum and urine using a simple thin layer polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This must be the best supporting medium for electrophoresis of amylase isozymes, because of the completeness of separation which was the most important point for the clinical use.
There were recommendations for the nomenclature of isozymes from the Committee of Isozymes; isozymes should not be named according to the tissues in which they occur, but should be numbered consecutively beginning with number 1, and starting at the anodal end of the electrophoretic medium and continuing directly through the origin to the cathodal end. However these recommendations were not suitable in cases of amylase isozymes because the anodal end of the amylase isozymes changes according to the values of amylase activity of the sample and to the time of reaction. From these observations, it is proper to number consecutively beginning with number 1 starting from the isozyme of the least mobility but present in all normal subjects.
