THE CHAMELEONIC BEHAVIOUR OF GONADOTROPHINS: A REVIEW OF RECENT RESULTS ON THEIR PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

Abstract

SUMMARY Human gonadotrophin preparations are extensively used for clinical and experimental purposes. There is a plethora of reports on the chemistry of gonadotrophins. However, the complete purification, isolation and elucidation of the structures of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), the luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) have not been achieved. Hindering factors are the instability of these gonadotrophins, the similarity of some of their physicochemical and immunological properties and the possibility that these hormones exist as hormone complexes rather than as single entities. These complicating factors necessitate a wide variety of sophisticated approaches to the study of the gonadotrophins. Some of the methods used and some of the structural, physicochemical and immunological characteristics of the gonadotrophins are the subject of this survey.