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Localization of Anti-human Growth Hormone Serum within the Human Placenta : Evidence for a Human Chorionic ‘Growth Hormone-prolactin’

Abstract

Josimovich and MacLaren1 have recently reported the presence in human placenta of a component which cross-reacts with rabbit anti-human growth hormone serum. This protein, which gave a reaction of partial identity with human growth hormone, exhibited prolactin activity and was detected in peripheral venous serum at term and in retroplacental serum by the Ouchterlony gel diffusion technique. Further immunochemical, physicochemical, and biological characterization of this cross-reacting placental protein, detectable in fresh saline homogenates of human and simian placenta, has been described by Kaplan and Grumbach2. Immuno-electrophoresis in agar gel (barbital buffer, pH 8.2) and starch gel electrophoresis (discontinuous buffer system of Ferguson and Wallace) indicate that the migration of the placental component differs from that of native and purified human growth hormone. A partially purified preparation of the cross-reacting placental component contains significant growth-promoting activity2.

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References

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SCIARRA, J., KAPLAN, S. & GRUMBACH, M. Localization of Anti-human Growth Hormone Serum within the Human Placenta : Evidence for a Human Chorionic ‘Growth Hormone-prolactin’. Nature 199, 1005–1006 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/1991005a0

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