Effect of duct ligation on amylase release from rat parotid slices

The effect of parotid duct ligation on amylase release from the rat parotid gland by isoproterenol was investigated in vitro. Unilateral ligation of the excretory duct progressively reduced amylase activity in the medium (the released amylase activity), but did not change the percentage of amylase release. Amylase activity in the parotid tissue decreased progressively after duct ligation, and the decrease rates of the amylase activity were very similar to that of the released amylase activity. Accordingly, the decrease of the released amylase activity after the ligation may be not due to an alteration in the amylase release mechanism, but due to the decrease of amylase content in the parotid tissue.