Amylase is an enzyme, or special protein, produced by your pancreas and salivary glands. The pancreas is an organ located behind your stomach. It creates various enzymes that help break down food in ...

Researchers uncover the surprisingly complex evolutionary history of the salivary protein amylase. Historically, the similarity between AMY1 copies has made this stretch of the genome difficult to map ...

Starch, a complex carbohydrate, is a vital source of nutrition for many mammals. Humans farm it in the form of rice, wheat, corn, potatoes and oats. Rats comb our garbage piles for scraps of pizza and ...

Two new studies found that ancient human ancestors carried a surprising diversity of genes for amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch. By Carl Zimmer As soon as you put starch in your mouth — ...

An amylase blood test measures the amount of amylase in a person’s blood. Abnormal levels of amylase may indicate pancreatitis or another problem with the pancreas. Amylase is a digestive enzyme that ...