Fluoroimmunoassay for human choriomammotropin

We describe an immunoassay for human choriomammo-tropin by use of the fluorescein-labeled hormone (of human origin). The technique is generally similar to the radioimmunoassay for this material, but has the advantage of stability of tracer and avoidance of radiation hazard. However, the procedure requires approximately 50-fold more tracer than does the radioimmunoassay, and this would be a disadvantage with materials for which supplies of purified antigen are scarce. Furthermore, both within-assay variation (3.9%) and between-assay variation (7.8--7.9%) were less satisfactory than that of radioimmunoassay (1.5% and 2.2--3%, respectively). This is almost certainly the result of imprecision of end-point detection and could probably be corrected by further attention to equipment design.