Amylase isoenzymes in the developing chick pancreas

Two amylase isoenzymes ('fast' and 'slow') were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in homogenates of pooled chick pancreas. Both isoenzymes were produced throughout embryonic development in approximately the same proportions. Examination of pancreatic homogenates of individual chicks revealed three phenotypes which had respectively only fast, only slow or fast plus slow amylase isoenzymes. The distribution of the three phenotypes in the chick population suggested that the slow and fast amylase types were the products of two allelic genes.