PLASMA CORTICOSTERONE DURING POSTNATAL ONTOGENESIS IN RATS - COMPARISON OF PROTEIN-BINDING AND FLUOROMETRIC METHOD

Google Scholar
  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 68  (1) , 66-73
Abstract
Competitive protein-binding method was used for determination of plasma corticosterone levels in rat during postnatal ontogenesis until 600 days of age. The level of corticosterone was high after birth, decreased until 5th day of life and then increased at the end of the 2nd wk. During adolescence, when sexual differentiation begins, plasma corticosterone levels in females became permanently higher than those of males. The comparison of plasma corticosterone level as measured with the competitive protein-binding and fluorometric methods was described in hypophysectomized, stressed and normal male rats. The correlation between both methods was satisfactory, but results obtained with a competitive protein-binding method were, on an average, 35% lower. The specificity, precision and recovery of the competitive protein-binding assay were satisfactory. This method was advantageous for a determination of plasma corticosterone level in small laboratory animals because of the small volume of plasma necessary.