Common detectable variants of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
| Variant | Biological activity | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Intact hCG | Active | Attached alpha and beta subunit |
| Nicked hCG | Inactive | Beta-subunit bond broken Quickly splits into separate alpha and nicked beta subunits |
| Nicked free beta subunit | Inactive | Degraded product of nicked hCG |
| Free alpha subunit | Inactive | |
| Free beta subunit | Inactive | |
| B-core fragment | Inactive | Final breakdown product of hCG |
| Hyperglycosylated hCG | Active | Similar to intact hCG, with more carbohydrate side chains attached |
Based on information in reference 6.