Abstract
The amount of progestational hormone in the human placenta is of interest not only because of contradictory reports as to the quantity present but because of the significance of this organ along with the corpus luteum as a source of luteal hormone during pregnancy.
Ehrhardt and Weigel 1 using implantation methods reported failure to demonstrate corpus luteum hormone in the human placenta. However, Ehrhardt 2 a few months later, using at this time placental extracts from which estrogenic fractions were separated, found as much as 10 (Clauberg) rabbit units in a single term placenta. Negative or weakly positive results were obtained in every instance when unseparated extracts were injected.
Adler, Fremery and Tausk 3 likewise demonstrated the presence of hormone in human placentas but only when estrogenic substances were removed. They reported, however, one rabbit unit in 500 to 1500 gm. fresh tissue or roughly one rabbit (Corner-Allen) unit per placenta.
Using the method of Corner and Allen for preparation of total placental extracts and that of Allen and Meyer for separation of estrogenic and progestational fractions, we have extracted two 10 pound lots of human full term placentas. Progestin content was assayed on 1000-12001 gm. rabbits following the McPhail 4 procedure. Four specimens from various regions of the uterus were sectioned, the average degree of proliferation king recorded. While the progestational proliferation at the smaller doses of placental extract was somewhat atypical, due undoubtedly to incomplete removal of estrogenic substances, moderately accurate estimates of activity were possible. In one of the 2 experiments, the estrogenic fraction was assayed. The results are shown in the table.
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