ASPECTS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE INHIBIN RESEARCH

Inhibin was first isolated in 1985. Major progress has been made in de fining various aspects of its structure and physiology, using a hetero logous radioimmunoassay. Current research is aimed at characterizing t he nature of the circulating forms of inhibin and is examining whether there are sex-specific roles for inhibins A and B. It has been recogn ized that various forms of epithelial and stromal ovarian cancer produ ce members of the inhibin peptide family but the precise nature of the se products is not yet clear. The recognition that the inhibin subunit s together with follistatin are expressed locally within the pituitary has lead to an investigation of their possible roles in intrapituitar y regulation. It is clear that these peptides also have intragonadal r oles. Of particular current interest is the nature of the signals that control the specificity of cellular peptide production and that deter mine whether a particular cell produces inhibin or activin. The inhibi ns are members of a complex family with many potential roles in physio logy and pathophysiology. The role of the inhibins in feedback control of follicle stimulating hormone in the male, particularly, remains un clear. New applications for inhibin and related peptides are likely to be developed.