Development of an agarose gel electrophoresis technique for determining alpha-amylase isoenzymes

Evaluation of alpha-amylase isoenzymes as a clinical diagnostic aid by previous methodologies has been either too insensitive or too cumbersome for routine clinical laboratory use. With use of an agarose gel electrophoresis system (Worthington Diagnostic Systems, Inc.) serum amylase activity can easily be resolved into at least nine isoenzymes, the resolution being comparable with that of isoelectric focusing. Samples can be analyzed in less than one working day, with use of conventional reagents.