Urogastrone levels in the urine of normal adult humans.

Urogastrone is a potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion isolated from human urine and it is structurally related to and shares the properties of a potent mitogen-mouse epidermal growth factor. The amounts of urogastrone in 24 h normal human urine samples were measured using a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay. Values varied from 120--1360 ng/kg/24 h but a significant difference (2P less than 0.005) was observed between urine samples from men (602 +/- 41 SE, n = 39) and women (782 +/- 44 SE, n = 33). A series of 24 h urine collections from male and female volunteers showed that wide variations could occur over a 4 week period in the individual output of urogastrone. Levels from women did not show variations that could be related to the stage of the menstrual cycle.