A chromatographic preparation of ox growth hormone.

1. A method is described for the chromatographic preparation of ox growth hormone. It involves chromatography of an extract of anterior pituitary lobes on DEAE-cellulose, followed by rechromatography on a dextran gel of low cross-linkage (Sephadex G-100). 2. The product is highly active in growth-hormone assays, and is obtained in good yield. It was homogeneous by several criteria, but showed some heterogeneity on starch-gel electrophoresis. 3. The molecular weight of the hormone was estimated from its behaviour on gel-filtration columns under various conditions. Evidence that the hormone may dissociate into sub-units under some conditions is presented.