Parathyroid Hormone Degradation Studies in Maternal and Fetal Rat Tissues by Radioimmunoassay

Abstract

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) degradation was determined in various maternal and fetal rat tissues, using a radioimmunoassay technique for PTH measurement. PTH degradation studies in maternal rat tissue revealed kidney to be most active followed by liver, muscle, and intestine. In fetal rat tissue, liver and kidney were most active and of equal magnitude (less than maternal kidney) followed by intestine, muscle and calvarium. Studies were performed to further evaluate the role of bone, a target organ for PTH action, in PTH inactivation. In order to determine individual cell activity DNA content was measured and in fetal calvarium the cellular content was not significantly different from other tissues. It was concluded that fetal calvarium does not play an important role in PTH degradation in the fetal rat.

Key words

Parathyroid Hormone - Degradation - Radioimmunoassay - Calvarium - Kidney - Liver - Muscle - Intestine