A Short History of Hormone Measurement

摘要: Huge changes have occurred in the measurement of hormones over last 50 years or so. Methods become simplified, sensitivity has increased manyfold, and automation allowed analysis large number specimens a single day. The most significant steps history hormone were development radioimmunoassay later production monoclonal antibodies. There also been commercialization, technique applied to an ever-increasing range substances, radioactive replaced with colorimetric, fluorescent, chemiluminescent end-points. However, all these not without their problems. Collaboration between laboratories seen standardization reagents methods, reference setting up external quality assurance schemes. All led improved sensitivity, precision, reliability. More recently tandem mass spectrometry brought further improvements certain hormones. Although many are now measured by automated systems there is still place for manual assays whether developed in-house using commercial kit.