This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rose, M. P. Articles by Balen, A. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rose, M. P. Articles by Balen, A. H.

Definition and Measurement of Follicle Stimulating Hormone

Division of Endocrinology (M.P.R.) and Informatics Laboratory (R.E.G.D.), National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG; and The General Infirmary at Leeds (A.H.B.), United Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Belmont Grove, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9NS, United Kingdom

FSH has a key role in the development and function of the reproductive system and is widely used both diagnostically and therapeutically in developmental and reproductive medicine. The accurate measurement of FSH levels, in patients for diagnosis and monitoring and in therapeutic preparations for clinical use, is essential for safe and successful treatment. Historically, FSH was defined on the basis of classical in vivo endocrine activity, and early therapeutic preparations were calibrated using in vivo bioassays. There was early recognition that reference preparations were required for calibration if the results from different laboratories were to be comparable. In response to the perceived need, the World Health Organization established the first standard for such preparations in 1959. Subsequent developments in biotechnology have led to recognition that there is no single molecule that can be uniquely defined as FSH, and that FSH can induce a range of biological activities. Several highly purified standards for FSH are now available, but discontinuity and heterogeneity of estimates of FSH activity in terms of these standards made using in vitro assays and binding assays have been noted. It is thus essential that any measurement of FSH include specification both of the standard with which the measured FSH is compared and the assay method used for that comparison.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Kajitani, S. Liu, T. Maruyama, H. Uchida, R. Sakurai, H. Masuda, T. Nagashima, M. Ono, T. Arase, and Y. Yoshimura Analysis of serum FSH bioactivity in a patient with an FSH-secreting pituitary microadenoma and multicystic ovaries: A case report Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2008; 23(2): 435 - 439. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-H. Wong, D. D. Mruk, W. M. Lee, and C. Y. Cheng Targeted and reversible disruption of the blood-testis barrier by an FSH mutant-occludin peptide conjugate FASEB J, February 1, 2007; 21(2): 438 - 448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. A. Nalefski, C. M. D'Antoni, E. P. Ferrell, J. A. Lloyd, H. Qiu, J. L. Harris, and D. H. Whitney Single-molecule detection for femtomolar quantification of proteins in heterogeneous immunoassays. Clin. Chem., November 1, 2006; 52(11): 2172 - 2175. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Jimenez, J.A. Spaliviero, A.J. Grootenhuis, J. Verhagen, C.M. Allan, and D.J. Handelsman Validation of an Ultrasensitive and Specific Immunofluorometric Assay for Mouse Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Biol Reprod, January 1, 2005; 72(1): 78 - 85. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. J. Walton, V. T. Nguyen, V. Y. Butnev, V. Singh, W. T. Moore, and G. R. Bousfield Characterization of Human FSH Isoforms Reveals a Nonglycosylated {beta}-Subunit in Addition to the Conventional Glycosylated {beta}-Subunit J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2001; 86(8): 3675 - 3685. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]