ASSAY OF THE FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE BASED ON THE AUGMENTATION WITH HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN

INTRODUCTION There have been in the past numerous attempts to quantitatively assay the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) of the anterior pituitary. Fevold et al. (1937, 1940) and many others have used the increase in ovarian weight in immature female rats. Evans et al. (1939) have employed an histological assay based upon the production of healthy (nonatretic) follicles with small antra in the ovaries of hypophysectomized female rats. Many other workers use uterine weight as a criterion for the estimation of FSH activity. In hypophysectomized male rats Greep et al. (1940, 1942) have employed the increase in testicular weight, in the absence of hypertrophy of the prostate and seminal vesicles, as a means of determination of FSH. It has been known for some time that human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) will augment the action of FSH in the ovary. Bates and Schooley (1942) in their excellent article on this subject indicated that it might be possible to use it as an assay method.