Actions of activins, inhibins and follistatins: Implications in anterior pituitary function

1, The anterior pituitary is well documented to be under the control of cen tral and peripheral factors that dynamically interact to affect cell-specif ic modulation of pituitary functions. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that these extrinsic factors work in concert with a variety of loca l products that exert autocrine/paracrine control on pituitary cells. 2, These factors modulate the activity of their target pituitary cells by a ltering the synthesis and secretion of cell-specific hormones and by exerti ng control on the growth and differentiation of cells of this tissue. Inclu ded in the list of growth factors and bioactive peptides known to be produc ts of pituitary cells are the activins, possibly inhibins and follistatins, 3, These protein factors play an important role in the local modulation of several pituitary cell types and are crucial for the maintenance of normal follicle-stimulating hormone production and, thus, reproductive function an d fertility.