THE GONADOTROPIC HORMONES 



ever, Hamlett (1937) has shown that the urine of the preg- 

 nant macaque about the 19-25 day of pregnancy may con- 

 tain detectable amounts of gonadotropic hormone. It is prob- 

 able that gonadotropic principles secreted by the chorion 

 will be demonstrated in other pregnant mammals by future 

 investigation.^ 



No gonadotropic hormone could be found in the serum 

 of the pregnant ewe (Cole and Miller, 1935) or in the milk 

 of the pregnant cow (total dose of 1.2 cc. in immature mice 

 initially 17 days old; Weisman, Kleiner, and Allen, 1935). 

 These reports supplement those reviewed in 1936. 



THE GONADOTROPIC HORMONE (pROLAn) ASSOCIATED 

 WITH PREGNANCY IN WOMEN 



New observations on the metabolism oj prolan? — All the re- 

 cent observations support the view that prolan is secreted 

 by the chorionic cells (Bourg and Legrand, 1935; Philipp 

 and Huber, 1936; Kido, 1937). Most of the experiments were 

 performed with implants. Kido observed the action of hu- 

 man placenta which survived transplantation in the anterior 

 chamber of the female rabbit's eye. The secreted hormone 

 affected the animal's ovary and could be detected in the 

 urine. 



The most striking new fact clearly demonstrated in respect 

 of the urinary excretion of prolan is that an enormous excre- 

 tion is observed about the 50-60 day following the last men- 

 strual period (Browne and Venning, 1936; Evans, Kohls, 

 and Wonder, 1937). Figure 18 is reproduced from the article 

 of Browne and Venning. The highest figures reported by 

 these authors are 100,000-300,000 rat-units per liter of urine 

 in comparison with a later fall to about 3,000 rat-units per 



^ E.g., see Astwood and Creep (1938). 



■5 See chap, v and Table VI of the earlier volume. Guercio (1936) believed that 

 prolan can be detected in the saliva of pregnant women; however, this was denied 

 by Weisman and Yerbury (1936). 



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