Little is known about the role of activin B during folliculogenesis. This study investigated the expression levels of activin/inhibin subunits (βA, βB, and α), steroid enzyme, and gonadotrophin receptors in theca (TC) and granulosa cells (GC) by QPCR and activin A and B and inhibin A protein levels in follicular fluid (FF) of developing sheep follicles during estrus and anestrus. The effect of ...

AIMS To describe a case of recurrent sarcomatoid adult granulosa cell tumour (AGCT) of the ovary and to evaluate the usefulness of two ovarian sex cord stromal markers (inhibin and calretinin) in separating sarcomatoid AGCT from true sarcomas. METHODS A 72 year old woman presented with a recurrent sarcomatoid AGCT in the sigmoid colon mesentery, which histologically mimicked a malignant gastr...

Activin and inhibin are important local modulators of theca cell steroidogenesis in the ovary. Using a serum-free primary theca cell culture system, this study investigated the effects of inhibin on theca cell androgen production and expression of steroidogenic enzymes. Androstenedione secretion from theca cells cultured in media containing activin, inhibin and follistatin was assessed by RIA o...

After a single i.v. injection of purified human recombinant inhibin A (hr-inhibin) or bovine follicular fluid (bFF) to 3-day castrated 35-day-old male rats, serum FSH concentrations fell (P less than 0.05) between 4 and 8 h, returning to control concentrations by 16-24 h. Administration of graded doses of hr-inhibin (0.625-10 micrograms/100 g body wt) and bFF (31.3-250 microliters/100 g body wt...

Retrospectively it was examined whether the number of retrieved oocytes, the maturation rate and cleavage rate can be predicted in regularly menstruating women by the use of the following predictive variables on cycle day 3-4: the concentration of FSH, oestradiol, inhibin B and inhibin A in serum and and the number of ovarian follicles seen by vaginal ultrasound. The study included 132 consecut...

We previously reported that activin A, not inhibin, was localized to endometrial tissues, and that the endometrium might be a major source of activin A during the menstrual cycle, using an immunohistochemical method. However, there are few detailed reports concerning the expression of inhibin subunits, activin receptors and Smad proteins in the ectopic endometrial tissues of endometriosis. In t...

Activins and inhibins, members of the type beta transforming growth factor superfamily of growth regulatory proteins, are produced in multiple tissues and affect diverse physiologic processes. Using embryonic stem cell technology, we previously demonstrated that inhibin can function as a gonadal tumor suppressor. In this study, we show that development of gonadal tumors is rapidly followed by a...

Source/description: Ovulation rate is an important trait influencing litter size in swine and contributes to reproductive success in pig production. Several quantitative trait loci (QTL) for ovulation rate have been identified in the pig. One region on chromosome 15 was associated with ovulation rate in a Meishan cross and in lines selected for components of litter size. The porcine inhibin a-s...

The regulation of reproduction is performed by complex hormonal system: hypothalamus pituitary ovary. There are a lot of ovarian peptides, playing an essential role in the regulation of this hormonal system. However, the mechanisms of their action are not exactly elucidated. Within ovarian peptides, inhibins are seemed to be consider as very important. The term “inhibin” was indicated by McCull...

BACKGROUND It is difficult to predict the reproductive capacity of children given hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) before pubertal age because the plasma concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are not informative and no spermogram can be done. METHODS We classified the gonadal function of 38 boys and 34 girls given HCT during childhood who ha...