The biological assay of testicular diffusing factor

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Abstract
The method of Madinaveitia [see B. A. 13(3): entry 3862] for estimating the activity of "testicular diffusing factor" in concentrates prepared from various sources was subjected to careful study with a view to increasing its accuracy. By a selection of suitable rabbits and by proper arrangement of doses, it was possible to compare 2 doses of 1 prep. with 2 doses of another; if 1 prep. was taken as a "standard," and its activity defined in "units," then the comparison could be calculated as an assay, by the method of Irwin (Suppl. Jour. Roy. Stat. Soc, 1937, 4, 1). A number of examples are given to show that this procedure leads to a degree of accuracy of the same order as was obtained by analogous methods on substances containing vits. or hormones; the fiducial limits (probable limits of error) of the detns., for P = 0.95, were from about 70%-140%. This improved quantitative method facilitated progress, not only in the conc. and isolation of the purified diffusing factor, but also in deciding whether or not diffusing factor activity is correlated with "mucolytic activity" as has been suggested by several authors.

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