Progesterone
REF: DS177713 

Intended use

Immunoassay for the in vitro quantitative determination of Progesterone concentration in human serum.

Summary

Progesterone is a steroid and a hormone. It has some important roles, particularly in the process of reproduction. After puberty starts, the ovaries release a single egg each month. This process is called ovulation. The egg moves down the fallopian tube, and if it meets with sperm, it may be fertilized.
The corpus luteum is a temporary endocrine, or hormone-producing, gland that forms from the empty ovarian follicle after ovulation. The corpus luteum becomes the main source of progesterone that is needed to maintain a pregnancy immediately after fertilization and implantation.
If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum breaks down, less progesterone is produced, and the levels of progesterone are too low to promote the growth of the uterine wall. As the lining of the womb is no longer maintained by progesterone from the corpus luteum, the lining breaks away, resulting in menstrual bleeding.
If conception occurs, progesterone stimulates the further development of blood vessels in the endometrium, and it stimulates glands in the endometrium to secrete nutrients that nourish the fertilized egg.
Progesterone prepares the tissue lining of the uterus to so that the fertilized egg can be implanted. Progesterone also helps to preserve the endometrium throughout pregnancy. After conception, the placenta forms. The placenta begins to secrete progesterone to supplement, and surpass, the progesterone already secreted by the corpus luteum.
Levels of progesterone from the placenta remain high during pregnancy. This prevents other eggs from maturing, and it promotes changes in breast tissue to prepare for lactation.
If a woman does not ovulate, her ovaries do not produce progesterone. This is called an anovulatory cycle. Missed cycles often take place from the mid 30s onwards and become more frequent as menopause approaches.
Progesterone levels drop consistently just before the menopause. This is thought to be the major cause of symptoms experienced around the menopause.

Reagents
Materials provided

• Coated Microplate, 8 x 12 strips, 96 wells.
• Calibrators, 6 vials, 1 ml each, ready to use; Concentrations: 0(A), 0.5(B), 2.5(C), 10(D), 30(E) and 60(F) ng/mL.
• Enzyme Conjugate, 1 vial, 6.0 ml of HRP (horseradish peroxidase) labeled sheep monoclonal Progesterone in Tris-NaCl buffer containing BSA (bovine serum albumin). Contains 0.2% ProClin300 preservative.
• Substrate, 1 vial, 11ml, ready to use, (tetramethylbenzidine) TMB.
• Stop Solution, 1 vial, 6.0 ml.
• Wash Solution Concentrate, 1 vial, 25 ml (40X concentrated), PBS-Tween wash solution.
• IFU, 1 copy.
• Plate Lid: 1 piece.

Materials required (but not provided)

• Microplate reader with 450nm and 620nm wavelength absorbent capability.
• Microplate washer. 
• Incubator.
• Plate shaker.
• Micropipettes and multichannel micropipettes delivering 50μl with a precision of better than 1.5%.
• Absorbent paper.
• Distilled water.