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Concept
Human chorionic gonadotropin
Summary
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone for the maternal recognition of pregnancy produced by trophoblast cells that are surrounding a growing embryo (syncytiotrophoblast initially), which eventually forms the placenta after implantation. The presence of hCG is detected in some pregnancy tests (HCG pregnancy strip tests). Some cancerous tumors produce this hormone; therefore, elevated levels measured when the patient is not pregnant may lead to a cancer diagnosis and, if high enough, paraneoplastic syndromes, however, it is not known whether this production is a contributing cause, or an effect of carcinogenesis. The pituitary analog of hCG, known as luteinizing hormone (LH), is produced in the pituitary gland of males and females of all ages.
Various endogenous forms of hCG exist. The measurement of these diverse forms is used in the diagnosis of pregnancy and a variety of disease states. Preparations of hCG from various sources have also been used therapeutically, by both medicine and quackery. , the United States Food and Drug Administration has prohibited the sale of "homeopathic" and over-the-counter hCG diet products and declared them fraudulent and illegal.
Beta-hCG is initially secreted by the syncytiotrophoblast.
Human chorionic gonadotropin is a glycoprotein composed of 237 amino acids with a molecular mass of 36.7 kDa, approximately 14.5kDa αhCG and 22.2kDa βhCG.
It is heterodimeric, with an α (alpha) subunit identical to that of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and a β (beta) subunit that is unique to hCG.
The α (alpha) subunit is 92 amino acids long.
The β-subunit of hCG gonadotropin (beta-hCG) contains 145 amino acids, encoded by six highly homologous genes that are arranged in tandem and inverted pairs on chromosome 19q13.3 - CGB (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8). It is known that CGB7 has a sequence slightly different from that of the others.
The two subunits create a small hydrophobic core surrounded by a high surface area-to-volume ratio: 2.
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