Study summary · research use only
Inhibins, activins and follistatin in reproduction
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This review discusses the structure and physiology of inhibins, activins, and follistatin as endocrine hormones involved in reproduction, and their potential paracrine roles within the pituitary, gonad, and related tissues. The authors describe how newer assay techniques have supported research into these factors as possible clinical markers of reproductive function and for screening various pathologies. Species not specified; no experimental data or numerical findings were reported.
Abstract
The regulation of reproductive processes involves a complex network of communication systems between the brain, endocrine organs, the gonads and other reproductive tissues. Classically, our understanding has focused on the role of endocrine hormones, but more recently interest has also dwelt on the paracrine and autocrine regulation of these cell systems. In this review, the structure and physiology of the inhibins, activins and follistatin are discussed in terms of the evidence supporting their role as endocrine hormones, and how they might function as paracrine factors within the pituitary, gonad and associated tissues. With the advent of more specific techniques and assays for their measurement, the potential of inhibins, activins and follistatin as clinical markers of reproductive function and in the screening of various pathologies is also evaluated.
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