Immunologic Studies of the Origin of Follicle-Stimulating Substances in Pregnancy Urine Extracts

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Abstract
The origin of follicle-stimulating substances contained in extracts of pregnancy urine has been studied with microimmunodiffusion and microimmunoelectrophoretic techniques. Extracts of normal pregnancy urine contained 2 antigens possessing different electrophoretic mobility, one of which reacted with an antiserum to human urinary postmenopausal gonadotropin (Pergonal-24). In contrast, no antigens reacting with the antiserum to Pergonal-24 could be identified in extracts of trophoblastic tissue or in a urinary extract from a pregnant patient who was hypophysectomized for metastatic breast carcinoma. The data suggest that the follicle-stimulating substances contained in extracts of pregnancy urine are of pituitary origin.