Preparation and analysis of the common urinary forms of human chorionic gonadotropin.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the hormone of pregnancy and forms the basis of all pregnancy tests as well as diagnostic assays for a variety of pathological states including certain types of cancers and some diseases of pregnancy and genetic abnormalities. In recent years, the discovery of the diagnostic utility of measurement of the free subunits and fragments of the hormone, especially in urine, has proven of special use for diagnosis of very early pregnancy loss, an important phenomenon related to infertility, as well as part of screening programs for Down Syndrome and gynecological cancers. This article summarizes existing and new methods for the preparation of hCG, its subunits, and the beta core fragment from urinary sources. The methods for proper analyses of these materials are also described to enable investigators to prepare and analyze these materials in various quantities in their own laboratories.
Birken
S
S
Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168 Street, New York, New York 10032, USA. sb18@columbia.edu
Maydelman
Y
Y
Gawinowicz
M A
MA
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D002847:Chromatography, Agarose / Q000379:methods; D002850:Chromatography, Gel / Q000379:methods; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange / Q000379:methods; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012685:Sepharose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C020927:phenyl-sepharose; D012685:Sepharose