Estrogen and luteinizing hormone secretion in diverse primate species from simplified urinary analysis

A practical approach for monitoring urinary estrogen and luteinizing hormone (LH) in various primate species is described. Total immunoreactive estrogen (Et) levels, measured without chromatography, provided a convenient estimation of estrone, estradiol and estriol as the sum of their separated parts. Bioactive LH in urine was measured by the rat interstitial cell testosterone (RICT) in vitro bioassay. Correction for urinary creatinine content allowed for the comparison of hormone production from small volumes of urine collected from single daily voidings. Using these methods, urinary Et and LH profiles through the reproductive cycles of a human, gorilla, chimpanzee and capuchin monkey have been determined.