title: Biological standardization of cytokines and growth factors.
abstract: To quantify the biological activity of different cytokine preparations with different specific activities by bioassay, mass units cannot be used and biological activity has to be expressed as << biological potency units >>. The biological unit requires definition by a standard that is assay-independent (especially when measuring a particular type of biological activity). Once the unit is defined, it can be used in any laboratory, thus providing a means of ensuring uniformity throughout the world in the designation of potency of different biological preparations. The World Health Organisation (WHO) standardization programme involves the production of biologically stable, well-characterised potency and immunoassay standards that are available world-wide using a single international unitage. These international standards have been used to reduce dramatically the variation in estimates of cytokine preparations within and between laboratories for immunoassays and bioassays.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mire-Sluis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000592:standards; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000592:standards; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007391:International Cooperation; D012015:Reference Standards; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006133:Growth Substances; D007202:Indicators and Reagents