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Diagnostic Automation, Inc.
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The determination of serum or plasma levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH or thyrotropin) is recognized as a sensitive method in the diagnosis of primary and secondary hypothyroidism.1 TSH is secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and induces the production and release of thyroxine and triiodothyronine from the thyroid gland.2 It is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 28,000
daltons, consisting of two chemically different subunits, alpha and beta.3 Although the concentration of TSH in the blood is extremely
low, it is essential for the maintenance of nor
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