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Science 15 April 1983:
Vol. 220. no. 4594, pp. 306 - 308
DOI: 10.1126/science.6682243
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Articles

Science, Vol 220, Issue 4594, 306-308
Copyright © 1983 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Biologically active chorionic gonadotropin: synthesis by the human fetus

WG McGregor, RW Kuhn, and RB Jaffe

The kidney, and to a slight extent the liver, of human fetuses were found to synthesize and secrete the alpha subunit common to glycoprotein hormones. Fetal lung and muscle did not synthesize this protein. Since fetal kidney and liver were previously found to synthesize beta chorionic gonadotropin, their ability to synthesize bioactive chorionic gonadotropin was also determined. The newly synthesized hormone bound to mouse Leydig cells and elicited a biological response: namely, the synthesis of testosterone. These results suggest that the human fetus may participate in metabolic homeostasis during its development.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Human Fetal Nongonadal Tissues Contain Human Chorionic Gonadotropin/Luteinizing Hormone Receptors.
M. A. Abdallah, Z. M. Lei, X. Li, N. Greenwold, S. T. Nakajima, E. Jauniaux, and Ch. V. Rao (2004)
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 89, 952-956
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