A simple test for erythropoietin.

Abstract

In Gelfiltration on Sephadex G-100 crude protein prepared from the urine of anemic patients incubated with 59Fe+++ -ions was separated and a distinct fraction isolated having high erythropoietic activity and a high 59Fe+++ -absorption. Increased amount of erythropoietin resulted in a higher incorporation of 59Fe+++ -ions in this fraction. From this we propose to replace the time consuming and very expensive bioassay for erythropoietin in poly-cythemic mice by gelfiltration of the material under investigation preincubated with 59Fe+++ -ions to test the Fe+++ uptake in the forementioned fraction.