The isolation of polypeptides with FSH suppressing activity from bovine follicular fluid which are structurally different to inhibin.

Three proteins (31, 35 and 39 kDa) with inhibin-like activity have been isolated from bovine follicular fluid with identical NH2-terminal amino acid sequences. These polypeptides are distinct from inhibin, based on their different NH2-amino acid sequence, molecular masses, absence of a subunit structure, absence of inhibin immunoactivity and the failure of inhibin antiserum to neutralize their bioactivity in vitro. Their inhibin-like biological activities based on their ability to suppress FSH cell content by pituitary cells in culture are 5-10% of bovine 31 kDa inhibin.