Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG)

Human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) is ahormonefor thematernal recognition of pregnancyproduced bytrophoblastcells that are surrounding a growing embryo (syncytiotrophoblast initially), which eventually forms the placenta afterimplantation.The presence of hCG is detected in somepregnancy tests(HCG pregnancy strip tests). Somecancerous tumorsproduce this hormone; therefore, elevated levels measured when the patient is not pregnant may lead to a diagnosis of cancer and, if high enough, ofparaneoplastic syndromes. It is unknown however whether this production is a contributing cause or an effect ofcarcinogenesis. The pituitary analogue of hCG,luteinizing hormone(LH), is produced in thepituitary glandof males and females of all ages. Beta-hCG is initially secreted by thesyncytiotrophoblast.