Modified method of erythropoietin (ESF) bioassay in vitro using mouse fetal liver cells. II. measurement of ESF in human serum.

A modification of the mouse fetal liver cell bioassay for erythropoietin (ESF) that allows quantitative detection of ESF in human serum is described. The modification consists of (1) correction for the effect of serum iron on 59Fe incorporation into heme and (2) the use of an "internal standard," i.e., a standard ESF preparation dissolved in the assayed test serum. As a result of this modification the statistical method of bioassay analysis had to be changed fundamentally. The mean serum concentration of ESF measured in 20 normal males was 48 microunit/ml, as compared to 29 microunit/ml in 18 females. The difference was significant at p = 0.017. The stimulatory activity of a human serum on 59Fe incorporation into heme could be neutralized by an anti-human ESF immune serum.