| abstract |
Method for the determination of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL) and HCG-like material in an aqueous sample comprising contacting a highly specific receptor for these hormones with an aqueous sample to be tested, providing a means of indicating whether binding has taken place between the receptor and hormone possibly contained in the sample and observing the indicating means to determine the presence of the hormone in the sample. PRL may be determined separately or simultaneously with the HCG and LH. The receptor is a plasma membrane extract from the corpus luteum of an animal which possesses the receptor for HCG, LH, PRL and HCG-like material. Radioassay indicating means are preferred, according to which competitive protein binding between radioisotopically labeled hormone and hormone present in the sample is radiologically determined. The method has particular application to the determination to pregnancy in the human female. |