FREE TESTOSTERONE CONCENTRATION IN SERUM - METHOD FOR DETERMINATION

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 130  (3) , 321-328
Abstract
Two procedures for quantifying [human] serum levels of testosterone-estradiol-binding globulin (TeBG) were evaluated. Both procedures utilize indirect methods for assessing the extent of protein-steroid interaction for the purpose of devising a clinically feasible procedure for estimating serum free testosterone. In the 1st method serum protein concentration was varied by dilution until 50% of steroid binding was obtained at a given concentration of steroid. Dextran-coated charcoal was used for separating TeBG-bound steroid from the unbound fraction. In the 2nd procedure DEAE-cellulose filtration was used to isolate the TeBG-steroid complex for quantitation. Having a sufficiently accurate measure of TeBG levels together with a knowledge of the total endogenous testosterone permitted the estimation of serum free testosterone based on the binding affinities of serum proteins. The preferred DEAE-cellulose filtration method proved useful for routine clinical evaluation of physiologically effective androgen levels.