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Development of a homologous radioimmunoassay for rat relaxin

Journal Article · · Endocrinology; (United States)
Highly purified rat relaxin has been radioiodinated to specific activities of approximately 100 ..mu..Ci/..mu..g with the Bolton and Hunter reagent (N-succinimidyl 3-(4-hydroxy-5(/sup 125/I) iodophenyl) propionate). A rabbit antirat relaxin serum, applicable in a final dilution of 1:100,000 was developed in a rabbit using unconjugated highly purified rat relaxin. A specific and precise double antibody RIA for rat relaxin sufficiently sensitive to routinely measure from 32 to 2000 pg rat relaxin was developed. Using this RIA, relaxin immunoactivity levels in extracts of pregnant rat ovaries were found to rise from 0.8 ..mu..g/geq ovarian fresh tissue on day 8 of pregnancy to 723 ..mu..g/geq ovarian fresh tissue on day 20 of pregnancy and then to drop precipitously to 6 ..mu..g/geq ovarian fresh tissue on day 1 of lactation. Consistent with the occurrence and relative levels of relaxin in the ovarian extracts, levels of relaxin in pregnant rat serum were less than 2 ng/ml on day 10 of pregnancy, approximately 150 ng/ml on days 20 and 22 of pregnancy, and 12 ng/ml on day 2 of lactation.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Illinois, Urbana
OSTI ID:
5926984
Journal Information:
Endocrinology; (United States), Journal Name: Endocrinology; (United States) Vol. 104:4; ISSN ENDOA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English