Preferred Sample Type
Suitable Specimen Types
- Serum
0.2 mL (min 50uL) serum or heparin plasma
Specimen Transport
Send Frozen to Ref LabSample Processing in Laboratory
UsualSample Preparation
Centrifuge and separate serum immediately and store at -20 ºCTurnaround Time
21 daysSample Stability
-20 ºCIGFBP-3 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3)
General Information
Insulin-like growth factors circulate in complex with plasma binding proteins. Four major IGF-binding proteins have been described, but the main binding protein is IGFBP-3, which forms complexes with over 75% of the circulating IGF-1. The concentration of the binding protein is dependent upon growth hormone (GH) and can be used as a measure of IGF-1, and therefore GH, reserve.
Patient Preparation
None
Reference Range
Age-related reference ranges provided by reference laboratory.
Specifications
- EQA Scheme?: Yes
- EQA Status: UK NEQAS Guildford Peptide Hormones