INTRODUCTION The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate whether FSH administration to the male partner of infertile couples improves pregnancy rate, spontaneously and/or after assisted reproductive techniques (ART). METHODS Meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials in which FSH was administered for male idiopathic infertility, compared with placebo or no treatment. Randomization w...

PPARgamma is highly expressed in granulosa cells by 23 days post-partum (pp) and is down-regulated in response to the LH surge. We tested the hypothesis that high levels of FSH during the neonatal period trigger the expression of PPARgamma. To determine when PPARgamma expression is initiated, ovaries were collected from neonatal rats. Messenger RNA for PPARgamma was undetectable on day 1, low f...

FSH and androgen act to stimulate and maintain spermatogenesis. FSH acts directly on the Sertoli cells to stimulate germ cell number and acts indirectly to increase androgen production by the Leydig cells. In order to differentiate between the direct effects of FSH on spermatogenesis and those mediated indirectly through androgen action, we have crossed hypogonadal (hpg) mice, which lack gonado...

The FSH receptor shows three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one in the promoter and two in exon 10. In addition, the FSH receptor mRNA undergoes extensive alternative splicing. While no physiological role for the SNP in the promoter and for alternative spliced isoforms has been demonstrated so far, the SNPs in exon 10 result in four discrete allelic variants characterized by the amino ...

BACKGROUND Detection of best predictor of ovarian reserve in patients with temporarily or consistently elevated early follicular phase serum levels of FSH is one of the most important goals in assisted reproductive technique (ART). OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether high level of anti-mullerian hormone level is related to success of ART in patients with temporarily or consistently elevated early f...

Follicle-stimulating hormone is the major regulator of growth and development of antral follicles in the ovary. Granulosa cells (GCs) in these follicles are coupled via gap junctions (GJs) consisting of connexin 43 (Cx 43). Because we and others have found that Cx 43 and GJs, respectively, are more abundant in large antral follicles compared with small antral and preantral follicles, we hypothe...

BACKGROUD Ovarian transplantation is a useful method for preserving the fertility of young women with cancer who undergo radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is use to protect transplanted ovarian tissues from ischemia injury through promoting revascularization after transplantation, but the side effect of high level FSH is ovarian overstimulation leading to substan...

In the present study, we started out to test whether the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-activated p38 MAPK signaling cascade was involved in the regulation of steroidogenesis in granulosa cells (GCs). GCs were prepared from the ovaries of DES-treated immature rats and cultured in serum-free medium. Treatment of GCs with FSH (50 ng/ml) induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK rapidly with the...

The mechanisms and the mediators relaying Fsh action on testicular functions are poorly understood. Unlike in mammals, in fish both gonadotropins (Fsh and Lh) are able to efficiently stimulate steroidogenesis, likely through a direct interaction with their cognate receptors present on the Leydig cells. In this context, it is crucial to understand if Fsh effects are mediated through the producti...