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Immunoassay reagents intended to perform qualitative and/or quantitative analyses on a body fluid sample (typically urine) to determine a fraction (known as CTx) of the carboxyterminal telopeptide that originates from one of the two intermolecular sites of the pyridinoline cross-linking with type I collagen. Increased levels of CTx are associated with bone resorption (CTx is a bone-resorption marker) in osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Some immunoassays are capable of determining independently the nonisomerized CTx (i.e., alpha-CTx) and isomerized CTx (i.e., beta-CTx) in urine; the ratio of both components seems to be useful in the characterization of some bone diseases, such as Paget\'s disease.
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