Novel ovarian regulatory peptides: inhibin, activin, and follistatin.

Based on the extensive amount of research on inhibin and related polypeptides accomplished during the past 5 years, the inhibin concept put forth more than 50 years ago has not only become well established but also more complex than originally imagined. The closed-loop feedback mechanism of ovarian inhibin and pituitary FSH has been joined by possible "inhibin-like" actions of follistatin and FSH-stimulatory effects of activin. In addition, in vitro experiments suggest possible autocrine and paracrine functions for the gonadal polypeptide hormones. Figure 3 shows a simplistic diagram summarizing our current understanding of inhibin/activin and follistatin action along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Hopefully, research in the coming years will allow us to remove the many question marks still remaining but will undoubtedly add others.