Inhibins: paracrine and endocrine effects in female reproductive function

A great deal of new information has arisen in the past 2 years concerning t he physiology of inhibins and their clinical relevance in reproductive medi cine. It is now recognized that the two inhibin isoforms, inhibin A and inh ibin B, are produced by the gonads in the course of gamete maturation and h ave different patterns of secretion during the menstrual cycle. Inhibins ar e also produced by the placenta and fetal membranes and may be involved in physiological adaptation of pregnancy. Clinically, inhibins may serve as se nsitive tumor markers in postmenopausal women, or as useful tools for evalu ating ovarian reserve in infertile women; they may also be used in the diag nosis of materno-fetal disorders. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.