ABSTRACT
An improved method for the assay of plasma progesterone by competitive protein binding is described. The improvement is based upon rigorous control of the variables, the compensation for and standardisation of interfering factors inherent in the method and the use of a human corticosteroid binding globulin, that meets the requirements for sensitivity at levels of 1.0 ng of progesterone and below.
The assessment of the reliability of the individual steps in the method as well as that of the complete method is presented. The sensitivity of the method is around 0.2 ng progesterone per ml plasma. Accuracy was measured by adding progesterone in amounts ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 ng to 1.0 ml plasma. There was a linear relationship between the progesterone added and recovered throughout the entire range of values, with a coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.94. Of 52 related steroids tested, none was found which would remain associated with progesterone following extraction and purification and which would also compete with progesterone for binding sites.
