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Expression of Inhibin Subunits, Follistatin, and Activin Receptors in Normal Testicular Cells and Testicular Tumors

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Inhibin, Activin and Follistatin

Abstract

Inhibin has been defined as a gonadal glycoprotein that can suppress the secretion of gonadotrophins, preferentially that of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland (1). It consists of an α-subunit, which is covalently linked by a disulfide bond to either of two β-subunits, β A or β B, giving rise to inhibin A and B, respectively. Alternatively, β-subunits can dimerize to form activins: homodimers of β A- β B-subunits are designated activin A or B, respectively, whereas β A β B -dimers are named activin AB (2, 3). All subunits are synthesized as larger precursor proteins; the factors that influence combination of subunits and cleavage of the precursors are scarcely known.

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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De Jong, F.H. et al. (1997). Expression of Inhibin Subunits, Follistatin, and Activin Receptors in Normal Testicular Cells and Testicular Tumors. In: Aono, T., Sugino, H., Vale, W.W. (eds) Inhibin, Activin and Follistatin. Serono Symposia USA. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1874-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1874-6_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7320-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-1874-6

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