Rat islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) was isolated from the pancreata of normal rats by utilizing cross-reactivity of a radioimmunoassay system for human IAPP with rat IAPP. Rat IAPP was a 37-amino acid polypeptide with tyrosine amide at the C-terminus, as was the case with human IAPP. Amino acid sequences of rat and human IAPPs were 84% identical, and the most highly conserved sequences were found in the N- and C-terminal regions. Rat IAPP sequence was also 51% identical to those of alpha and beta rat calcitonin gene-related peptide sequences.