CONTENTS -- FOREWORD -- CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION -- 1.1 Historical Background -- 1.2 Characterisation of Inhibin -- 1.3 Activin -- 1.4 Follistatin -- 1.5 Biological Functions -- References -- CHAPTER 2 DEVELOPMENT OF IMMUNOASSAYS FOR INHIBIN ACTIVIN AND FOLLISTATIN -- 2.1 Structures of Inhibin Activin and Follistatin -- 2.2 Implications of Molecular Structure for Immunoassay Development -- 2.3 Previous Assays -- 2.4 Preparation of Monoclonal Antibodies to Inhibin -- 2.5 The Oxford Brookes ELISAs -- 2.6 Assay Validation -- 2.7 Standardisation -- 2.8 Further Assays Needed in This Field -- 2.9 Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER 3 ENDOCRINE AUTOCRINE AND PARACRINE ACTIONS OF INHIBIN ACTIVIN AND FOLLISTATIN ON FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Control of FSH -- 3.3 Role of Inhibin Activin and Follistatin in the Control of FSH -- 3.4 Control of Pituitary Activin Bioavailability -- 3.5 Requirements for Establishing a Local Autocrine/Paracrine Role for the FSH Regulatory Proteins -- 3.6 Key Points and Future Direction -- References -- CHAPTER 4 REGULATION OF PRODUCTION AND INTRAOVARIAN ROLES OF INHIBIN ACTIVIN AND FOLLISTATIN -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Expression of Inhibin Activin and Follistatin and their Receptors in the Primate Ovary -- 4.3 Factors Regulating Granulosa Cell Production of Inhibin Activin and Follistatin -- 4.4 Intrafollicular Actions of Inhibin Activin and Follistatin -- 4.5 Autocrine/Paracrine Actions in Corpus Luteum -- 4.6 Summary -- References -- CHAPTER 5 INHIBIN ACTIVIN AND FOLLISTATIN IN HUMAN PREGNANCY -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Circulating Patterns During Pregnancy -- 5.3 Different Source(s) in Pregnancy -- 5.4 Placental Production of Inhibin Activin and Follistatin -- 5.5 Biological Function(s) in Pregnancy -- 5.6 Abnormal Pregnancies -- 5.7 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- References.

CHAPTER 6 FOLLISTATIN: FROM PUBERTY TO MENOPAUSE -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Follistatin Structure and Mode of Action -- 6.3 Regulation of Follistatin -- 6.4 Follistatin Assays -- 6.5 The Conundrum of Follistatin in the Circulation -- 6.6 Is Follistatin An Endocrine Regulator? -- 6.7 Follistatin as a Paracrine Regulatory Factor -- 6.8 Interlude -- 6.9 Follistatin During Puberty -- 6.10 Follistatin During Pregnancy -- 6.11 Follistatin During the Menstrual Cycle and During the Menopausal Transition -- 6.12 Follistatin in the Male -- 6.13 Key Points and Future Prospects -- References -- CHAPTER 7 INHIBIN AND ACTIVIN IN THE MALE -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Inhibin in the Healthy Male -- 7.3 Puberty and Adulthood -- 7.4 Disruption of the Inhibin B-FSH Feedback Loop -- 7.5 Restoration of Serum FSH in Hypogonadal Males -- 7.6 Inhibin-B and Male Infertility -- 7.7 Inhibin and Activin in the Prostate -- 7.8 Summary -- References -- CHAPTER 8 MEASUREMENT OF INHIBIN AND ACTIVIN: A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL IN FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY? -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Inhibin and Human Ovulation -- 8.3 The Inhibins and Activins in Dysovular States -- 8.4 Inhibin and Activin in Superovulated Cycles -- 8.5 Inhibins During the Perimenopause -- 8.6 Inhibin-B and the Assessment of Ovarian Reserve -- 8.7 Inhibin and Activin in Early Pregnancy -- 8.8 Inhibin Pro-ac and the Prediction of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) in IVF Treatment -- 8.9 Inhibin and Activin and the Prediction of Pre-Term Labour -- 8.10 Inhibin in Abnormal Pregnancy: Pre-Eclampsia -- 8.11 Inhibin in Screening for Down's Syndrome -- Summary -- References -- CHAPTER 9 CLINICAL UTILITY OF INHIBIN/ACTIVIN SUBUNITS IN THE IMMUNOPATHOLOGY OF GONADAL TISSUE -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Methodology -- 9.3 Ovarian Tumours -- 9.4 Ovarian Cyst Aspiration Cytology.

9.5 Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) -- 9.6 Other Genital Tract Tissues -- 9.7 Other Organs -- 9.8 Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER 10 ACTIVIN RECEPTORS AND THEIR MECHANISM OF ACTION -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Activin Receptors and the Receptor Serine Kinase Family -- 10.3 Activin Receptor Signaling -- 10.4 Inhibin Receptors -- 10.5 Summary and Future Directions -- References -- CHAPTER 11 TRANSGENIC MOUSE MODELS TO STUDY INHIBIN AND ACTIVIN -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Structure of Inhibin and Activin -- 11.3 The Activin/Inhibin BB Knockout Mice -- 11.4 The Activin/inhibin BA Knockout Mice -- 11.5 Activin/Inhibin BA/BB Compound Knockout Mice -- 11.6 Activin Type IIA Receptor Knockout Mice -- 11.7 Activin Type IIB Receptor Knockout Mice -- 11.8 Activin Type IB Receptor (ALK4) Knockout Mice -- 11.9 Inhibin-a Knockout Mice -- 11.10 Inhibin-a/Activin Type IIA Receptor Knockout Mice -- 11.11 Inhibin-a/Mullerian Inhibiting Substance Knockout Mice -- 11.12 Inhibin-a/MIS Receptor Knockout Mice -- 11.13 Hypogonadal/Inhibin-a Knockout Mice -- 11.14 tfm/Inhibin-a Knockout Mice -- 11.15 Conclusions -- 11.16 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- References -- INDEX.