Endocrine Abstracts

Orbital fat (OF) represents a highly specialised adipose tissue depot that occupies a confined space behind the eyeball known as the orbit. OF fills most of the orbital cavity providing support to the delicate structures that link the eye to the brain, and protects against sight-threatening mechanical and inflammatory trauma. Subcutaneous (SC) and omental (OM) adipose tissues are highly active endocrine organs, regulated in part by glucocorticoids (GCs). The pre-receptor regul...

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) belongs to family C of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that bind glutamate, GABA, taste molecules and pheromones. Loss-of-function mutations of the CASR gene located on chromosome 3q21–24, cause familial benign hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia type 1 (FBHH1). The genes causing FBHH2 and FBHH3, whose chromosomal locations are on 19p and 19q13.3, respectively, remain unknown. FBHH3, sometimes called the Oklahoma variant (FBHHO...

Concerns on the noncomparibility of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) methods have recently been voiced (Cantor T et al; Clin Chem 2006, 52, 1771–6). It is therefore important that any new iPTH immunoassays are thoroughly validated before routine use. We describe performance characteristics for an iPTH immunoassay on the ARCHITECT 8200i analyser as compared with iPTH measurement on the Diasorin LIAISON platform. Potassium EDTA plasma samples (n=80) we...