ESPE Abstracts

Background: Standard assays for serum cortisol measurements determine total cortisol (TC) concentrations but not the unbound biologically active serum free cortisol (sFC). Measurement of TC would be greatly influenced by alteration in cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) concentrations. It is, therefore, important to determine sFC levels when CBG levels are either decreased or increased.Objective and hypotheses: To determine basal and glucagon-stimulated sFC ...

Background: We recently identified loss-of-function mutations in makorin ring finger 3 (MKRN3) as a cause of familial central precocious puberty (CPP). Analysis of Mkrn3 expression in the arcuate nucleus of mice showed high expression levels in juvenile mice, with a marked reduction prior to puberty onset, suggesting that MKRN3 inhibits puberty initiation. The function of MKRN3 is not known but based on its amino acid sequence, it is predicted to act as an ubiquitin l...