Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bioassay

  • Chapter
Book cover Concepts in Biochemical Pharmacology

  • 511 Accesses

Abstract

Bioassays are looked upon by many as unspecific, inaccurate, tedious and exasperating to perform, not amenable to automation, obsolete and altogether superfluous in the age of scintillation counting, N.M.R., and gas-chromatography/mass-spectroscopy. The object of this article is to show which of these attributes are justified and which are mistaken. It will show that with the development of new techniques some substances drop out from the range of compounds for which bioassays are unavoidable, while new ones keep entering the field because no physical or chemical methods are known for the estimation of what are usually substances of great biological interest, occurring in tantalizingly small quantities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adam, H.M., Hardwick, C.D., Spencer, K.E.V.: Assay of histamine on the isolated guinea-pig intestine by the method of superfusion. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 9, 360–366 (1954).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adam, H.M., Hye, H.K.A.: Concentration of histamine in different parts of the brain and hypophysis of cat and its modification by drugs. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 28, 137–152 (1966).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armin, J., Grant, R.T.: Vasoconstrictor activity in the rabbit’s blood and plasma. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 128, 511–540 (1955).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berson, S.A., Yalow, R.S., Aurbach, G.D., Potts, J.T.: Immunoassay of bovine and human parathyroid hormone. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 49, 613–617 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bisset, G.W., Clark, B.J., Haldar, J.: Blood levels of oxytocin and vasopressin during suckling in the rabbit and the problem of their independent release. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 206, 711–722 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bisset, G.W., Clark, B.J., Haldar, J., Harris, M.C., Lewis, G.P., Rocha e Silva, M., Jr.: The assay of milk-ejecting activity in the lactating rat. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 31, 537–549 (1967a).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bisset, G.W., Hilton, S.M., Poisner, A.M.: Hypothalamic pathways for independent release of vasopressin and oxytocin. Proc. roy. Soc. B 166, 422–442 (1967b).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boura, A., Mongar, J.L., Schild, H.O.: Improved automatic apparatus for pharmacological assays on isolated preparations. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 9, 24–30 (1954).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd, G.W., Landon, J., Peart, W.S.: The radio-immuno-assay of angiotensin. II. Proc. roy. Soc. B 173, 327–338 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cannon, W.B., Uridil, J.E.: Studies on the conditions of activity in endocrine glands. VIII. Amer. J. Physiol. 58, 353–364 (1921).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, H.C., Gaddum, J.H.: Choline esters in tissue extracts. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 79, 255–285 (1933).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cleugh, J., Gaddum, J.H., Mitchell, A.A., Smith, M.W., Whittaker, V.P.: Substance P in brain extracts. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 170, 69–85 (1964).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Levi-Montalcini, R., Hamburger, V.: A nerve growth-stimulating factor isolated from sarcomas 37 and 180. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 40, 1014–1018 (1954).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dorfman, R.I. (Editor): Methods in Hormone Research, 2nd Ed., Vol. IIA, Bioassay. New York and London: Academic Press 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Douglas, W.W., Feldberg, W., Paton, W.D.M., Schachter, M.: Distribution of histamine and substance P in the wall of the dog’s digestive tract. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 115, 163–176 (1951).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Euler, U.S. v., Gaddum, J.H.: An unidentified depressor substance in certain tissue extracts. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 72, 74–87 (1931).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fühner, H.: Untersuchungen über den Synergismus von Giften. IV. Arch. exp. Pathol. Pharmakol. 82, 51–80 (1917).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fühner, H.: Nachweis und Bestimmung von Giften auf pharmakologischem Wege. In: Handbuch der biologischen Arbeitsmethoden. Hrsg. von Abderhalden. Abt. IV, Teil 7, p. 421–612. Berlin: Urban und Schwarzenberg 1923.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J.H.: The technique of superfusion. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 8, 321–326 (1953).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J.H.: Symposium on substance P (ed. P. Stern). Proc. Sci. Soc. Bosnia Herzegovinia 1, 7–14 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J.H.: An improved microbath. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 23, 613–619 (1964).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J.H., Goodwin, L.G.: Experiments on liver sympathin. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 105, 357–369 (1947).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J.H., Lembeck, F.: The assay of substances from the adrenal medulla. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 4, 401–08 (1949).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J.H., Randić, M., Smith, M.W.: An antistrychnine extract from horse intestine. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 172, 207–215 (1964).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, L.S., Gilman, A.: The pharmacological basis of therapeutics. 3rd edition. New York: Macmillan 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horton, E.W.: Human urinary kinin excretion. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 14, 125–132 (1959).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horton, E.W., Jones, R.L.: Prostaglandins A1, A2 and 19-hydroxy A1; their actions on smooth muscle and their inactivation on passage through the pulmonary and hepatic portal vascular beds. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 37, 705–722 (1969).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horton, E.W., Main, I.H.M.: Identification of prostaglandins in central nervous tissues of the cat and chicken. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 30, 582–602 (1967).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horton, E.W., Thompson, C.J.: Thin-layer chromatography and bioassay of prostaglandins in extracts of semen and tissues of the male reproductive tract. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 22, 183–188 (1964).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Juorio, A.V., Vogt, M.: Adrenaline in bird brain. J. Physiol. (Lond.) (1970) [in the press].

    Google Scholar 

  • Keele, C.A.: Clinical and pathological aspects of kinins in man. Proc. roy. Soc. B 173, 361–369 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lande, I.S. de la, Glover, W. E.: The limit of sensitivity of bioassay of catecholamines on the perfused arterial segment. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 18, 324–325 (1966).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lande, I.S. Harvey, J.A.: A new and sensitive bioassay for catecholamines. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 17, 589–593 (1965).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, A.J., Schild, H.O., Smith, G.M.: Extraction and assay of urogastrone. Brit. J. Pharmacol. (1970) [in the press].

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigler, R., Holzbauer, M.: Über die Natur des melanophorenexpandierenden Prinzips der Hypophyse, sein Verhalten gegen Ascorbinsäure und seine Bestimmung in biologischen Fliissigkeiten. Z. Biol. 108, 196–209 (1956).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, M., Adam, H.M.: New methods for the quantitative estimation of free and conjugated histamine in body fluids. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 5, 526–541 (1950).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saffran, M., Schally, A.V.: In vitro bioassay of corticotropin: modification and statistical treatment. Endocrinology 56, 523–532 (1955).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schild, H.O.: Automatic apparatus for pharmacological assays on isolated preparations. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 1, 135–138 (1946).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharman, D.F.: Methods of determination of catecholamines and their metabolites. In: Methods and techniques of neuroscience. Ed. by R. Fried. New York: Marcel Dekker Inc. (in the press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharman, D.F., Vogt, M.: The noradrenaline content of the caudate nucleus of the rabbit. J. Neurochem. 12, 62 (1965).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, G.M., Lawrence, A.J., Colin-Jones, D.G., Schild, H.O.: The assay of gastrin using the perfused rat stomach. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 38, 206–213 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Straughan, D.W.: Assay of acetylcholine on the rat blood pressure. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 10, 783–784 (1958).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szerb, J.C.: The estimation of acetylcholine, using leech muscle in a microbath. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 158, 8–9 P (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Unger, R.H., Eisentraut, A.M., Madison, L.L.: The effect of total starvation upon the levels of circulating glucagon and insulin in man. J. clin. Invest. 42, 1031–1039 (1963).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Unger, R.H., Eisentraut, A.M., McCall, M.S., Madison, L.L.: Glucagon antibodies and an immunoassay for glucagon. J. clin. Invest. 40, 1280–1289 (1961).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vane, J.R.: A sensitive method for the assay of 5-hydroxytryptamine. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 12, 344–349 (1957).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vane, J.R.: The blood-bathed isolated organ: a method of testing the circulating blood for active substances. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 143, 75–76 P (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • Vane, J.R.: The release and fate of vaso-active hormones in the circulation. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 35, 209–242 (1969).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vanov, S., Vogt, M.: Catecholamine-containing structures in the hypogastric nerves of the dog. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 168, 939–944 (1963).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt, M.: The secretion of the denervated adrenal medulla of the cat. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 7, 325–330 (1952).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yalow, R.S., Berson, S.A.: Immunoassay of endogenous plasma insulin in man. J. clin. Invest. 39, 1157–1175 (1960).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Marthe Vogt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20014, USA

    Bernard B. Brodie  & James R. Gillette  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1971 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Vogt, M. (1971). Bioassay. In: Brodie, B.B., Gillette, J.R., Ackerman, H.S. (eds) Concepts in Biochemical Pharmacology. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology / Handbuch der experimentellen Pharmakologie, vol 28 / 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65177-9_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65177-9_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-65179-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-65177-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation