Human Thyrocalcitonin

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Abstract
Thyrocalcitonin has been extracted from pooled thyroid tissue by a urea-HCl-cysteine extraction procedure. Further purification by successive gel filtration on Sephadex and polyacrylamide columns resolved the activity into 2 fractions, of which the major one appears to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis and sedimentation analysis. This fraction is active at the microgram level in causing a decrease in serum calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in rats. Results of preliminary molecular weight determination and amino acid composition are presented. The interrelation of the 2 fractions of activity is discussed and the significance of the availability of a purified human hormone is emphasized. (Endocrinology81: 993, 1967)