BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated that pre-pubertal aryl hydrocarbon receptor knockout (AHRKO) mice have slow antral follicle growth and reduced capacity to produce estradiol compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Although previous studies have suggested that this is likely due to a reduced ability of the AHRKO follicles to respond to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), this possibility w...

In the spontaneous menstrual cycle, the mid-cycle gonadotrophin surge causes maturation of the cumulus-oocyte complex, mucification of cumulus cells and expansion of the cumulus oophorus, resumption of meiosis and maturation of the cytoplasm of the oocyte. Whether this is an effect purely of luteinizing hormone (LH) or whether follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) also plays a role is unknown. The...

The present study was designed to explore the role of gap junctions in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF beta1)-stimulated steroidogenesis in ovarian granulosa cells of gonadotropin-primed immature rats. There were three specific aims. First, we investigated the effect of FSH and TGF beta1 as well as lindane (a general gap junction blocker) on the leve...

High concentrations of FSH have been shown to boost in-vitro differentiation of germ cells from men with normal spermatogenesis and from some patients with in-vivo maturation arrest. This study shows that the differentiation-promoting effect of FSH is connected to protection against germ cell apoptosis and that both effects can be mimicked by the intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP)-elevating drug p...

Porcine FSH (SUPER OV) , containing .03% LH activity, and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) were administered during an altrenogest-synchronized follicular phase to determine their effects on follicle development, estrus, ovulation, and fertilization. Treatments were made by i.m. injection starting on d 1 (24 h after the last feeding of altrenogest): 1) saline, once, n = 14; 2) eCG (1,200 to...

It is well established in various experimental models that luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulated testosterone (T) production of Leydig cells is the key endocrine stimulus of spermatogenesis. The role of the other gonadotrophin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), is as yet somewhat unclear given that several clinical conditions and experimental models, including men with inactivating FSH receptor...

Previously, we demonstrated that follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) enhanced VEGF expression and facilitated ovarian cancer angiogenesis via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In this study, we further investigated the involvement of microRNA-27a: ZBTB10‑specificity protein pathway in the mechanism of FSH-induced VEGF, Cox2 and survivin expression. T...

BACKGROUND FSH hypersecretion occurs in mothers of dizygotic (DZ) twins. Twinning is inherited via both sexes and transmitted through the female. FSH hypersecretion may thus occur in male DZ twins. METHODS We assayed FSH and its counter-regulatory hormone, Inhibin B, in 108 adult male DZ and 100 monozygotic (MZ) twins (as controls) and compared our results to published norms. RESULTS Inhibi...