Studies on the Heterogeneity and Serum Binding of Human Growth Hormone

Identification and characterization of specific binding proteins for growth hormone in normal human sera.

“…Although not yet a recognized phenomenon for larger polypeptide hormones such as GH, in fact there are, apart from our earlier study in rabbit serum (19), several references in the older literature (31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38) The physiological role of such a binding protein is not yet clear, however, given that more than half of the hGH remains in the free or monomeric state. Several possibilities are worth considering.…”

Immunoassay of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone in Human Urine and Serum by Quantitative Complement Fixation

“…In the proposed CF assay no modification of antigens was made, in contrast to the radioimmunoassay which requires a labelled antigen. Thus, the present assay may offer some advantage over the radioimmunoassay, since the labelling technique may modify either antigenic or biologically active structures of the hormone (Arquilla, 1966 ;MacMillan, Schmid, Eash & Read, 1967 ;Brunfeldt, Hansen & Jorgensen, 1968).…”

Growth Hormone Binding Proteins in Plasma – An Update

“…In particular, insulin and GH were reported to be partially protein-bound. However, despite some experimental evidence, at least for GH (2)(3)(4)(5)(6), this notion was largely rejected as an artefact of 'radiation damage', 'aggregation', or contamination of hormone preparations with large molecular weight non-hormonal material. Occasional reports over the years continued to show evidence for a 'macromolecular conversion phenomenon' of radiolabelled monomeric GH on exposure to plasma (7)(8)(9), but this failed to convince endocrinologists to revise the entrenched dogma stipulating that peptide hormones circulate in the free form.…”