Assay for Pituitary Gland Disorders

A new assay, called Access Ultrasensitive hGH, has been developed for the quantitative determination of human growth hormone (hGH) in human serum and plasma.

The hGH protein is produced in the pituitary gland and plays a critical role in the growth of cartilage, bone, and some soft tissues. Abnormal levels, or hypopituitarism, can result from diseases involving the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, such as tumors, infectious diseases, and congenital or acquired abnormalities. Deficient levels of hGH can result in dwarfism in children, while extreme excess can cause gigantism in children and acromegaly in adults. The new assay can aid doctors in their diagnosis and treatment of these hypothalamic disorders.

The assay detects hGH levels as low as 0.003 ng/ml. The automated nature of the test reduces the likelihood of human error and increases test reproducibility, says the developer, Beckman Coulter, Inc. (Fullerton, CA, USA). The test is one of several immunochemistry assays available on the company's Access and Access 2 systems. Other characteristics include results in as little as 40 minutes, long-term reagent stability, and 56-day calibration curve stability.



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