Bioassays of Follicle Stimulating Hormone

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Abstract
Introduction ANTERIOR pituitary glands of many animal species, including man, secrete FSH in multiple heterogeneous forms. These FSH isohormones exhibit different molecular weights, isoelectric properties, bioactivities, and plasma half-lives (1–4). The heterogeneity of the isoforms is believed to be due to the differences in the carbohydrate moieties of the glycoprotein. Early studies showed that the hormonal milieu influenced not only the amount of FSH secreted but also its biological activity (4–7). Most of the physiological and clinical studies on serum FSH had been measured by specific RIAs. Changes in biological activities of FSH (bio-FSH) are not always associated with similar changes in FSH immunoreactivity (immuno-FSH) (3, 8, 9). Although pituitary and urinary FSH had been measured by bioassays, until recently, serum bio-FSH could not be measured because of the lack of specific and sensitive methods. This review summarizes the recent development of FSH bioassays that can be applied to clinical studies of FSH in serum.

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