In men, inhibin B is the circulating isoform involved in the regulation of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion. Within the testis, inhibin B may have a role in Sertoli and germ cell interactions, thus secretion into seminal plasma may reflect seminiferous tubule function. Using specific immunoassays, inhibin B was present in seminal plasma in fertile men (n = 105) and in unselected men...

INTRODUCTION Azoospermia affects more than 10% - 15% of infertile male subjects attending infertilty clinics. At present, testicular biopsy is the golden standard procedure for evaluating spermatogenesis status in men with azoospermia. Semen collection and analysis is a non-invasive method and has proven to be valuable in the evaluation of spermatogenesis. Identification of seminal plasma marke...

Sertoli cells undergo important changes in their number and function at different ages in the rat and may be the primary source of circulating inhibin B. The aims of this study were 1) to establish the profile of inhibin B levels from birth to adulthood in normal rats and 2) to identify whether experimental manipulation of Sertoli cell numbers was able to alter this profile. Levels of inhibin B...

BACKGROUND In vitro continuous stimulation of Sertoli cells with FSH leads to a desensitization of these cells to FSH action. To evaluate the presence of a desensitization of FSH receptor on Sertoli cells in vivo, we performed a controlled clinical study in 97 men affected by severe oligozoospermia. METHODS On the basis of FSH and inhibin B plasma concentrations, these subjects were divided i...

Inhibin has been postulated to be secreted by Sertoli cells in response to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and in turn to exert an inhibitory effect on FSH production. We have investigated this relationship using an assay specific for dimeric inhibin B. A total of 56 normal men received 200 mg testosterone enanthate (TE) i.m. weekly, for 65 +/- 1 weeks in a trial of hormonal male contracepti...

INTRODUCTION Our aim was to evaluate the predictive values of factors that indicate successful sperm retrieval in men with nonobstructive azoospermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated 85 infertile men with nonobstructive azoospermia who underwent multiple bilateral testicular biopsies. Factors including age, infertility period, surgical history, testicular volume, testicular consistency, se...

Background: Inhibin selectively inhibits FSH but not LH secretion. Data are somewhat conflicting regarding differences in inhibin between normally cycling women and those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The Aim of this Study: Is to study the pattern of inhibinB hormone secretion in cases of PCOS throughout days 3, 5 and 9 of their menstrual cycles. Patients and Methods: The study was p...

In the rat pituitary, activin stimulates whereas inhibin prevents FSH synthesis and secretion. Besides, the activin binding protein follistatin neutralizes the action of activin. The control of the FSH secondary surge at early estrus is not completely understood. To investigate the regulation of the inhibin/activin alpha-, betaA- and betaB-subunits and follistatin mRNA expression in the pituita...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the involvement of immune abnormality in patients with idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). In addition to the known etiology, autoimmune disorders may be a pathologic mechanism for POI. MATERIALS AND METHODS Our study was a prospective controlled trial. Twenty women with POI, reasons other than autoimmune excluded, were enrolled in this study. The control ...