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inhibin

So named for its property of inhibiting FSH secretion. Member of superfamily of proteins that includes TGF-beta, mullerian inhibitory factor, & activins. Function: Inhibins & activins inhibit & activate, respectively, secretion of follitropin by the pituitary gland. they are involved in regulating diverse functions, including: - hypothalamic hormone secretion - pituitary hormone secretion - gonadal hormone secretion - germ cell development & maturation - erythroid differentiation - insulin secretion - nerve cell survival - embryonic axial development or bone growth dependent on subunit composition Inhibins oppose the functions of activins. Structure: - Inhibins are heterodimers of one alpha & one beta subunit - Activins are homo- or heterodimers of beta subunits only Laboratory: - inhibin antigen in tissue

Specific

inhibin-A inhibin-B

General

glycoprotein multisubunit protein secreted protein

Properties

COMPARTMENT: extracellular compartment SECRETED-BY: granulosa cell WITHIN: ovary sertoli cell WITHIN: testis unspecified cell type WITHIN: placenta SUBUNITS: inhibin alpha chain MOTIF: signal sequence {1-18} peptide motif {61-62} N-glycosylation site {N146} peptide motif {232-233} cysteine residue {C262} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C328} N-glycosylation site {N268} cysteine residue {C291} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C363} cysteine residue {C295} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C365} N-glycosylation site {N302} cysteine residue {C327} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C-INTERCHAIN} cysteine residue {C328} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C262} cysteine residue {C363} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C291} cysteine residue {C365} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C295} beta-inhibin MOTIF: glycosylation site cysteine-rich region MOTIF: cysteine residue {X+0} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+7} cysteine residue {X+6} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+50} cysteine residue {X+7} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+0} cysteine residue {X+26} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+70} cysteine residue {X+29} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+72} cysteine residue {X+49} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+49} cysteine residue {X+50} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+6} cysteine residue {X+70} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+26} cysteine residue {X+72} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {X+29}

References

  1. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, 8th ed, JD Wilson & DW Foster (eds), WB Saunders Co, Philadelphia PA, 1992, pg 983
  2. Matzuk et al Alpha-inhibin is a tumour-suppressor gene with gonadal specificity in mice. Nature 360:313 1992 PMID: 1448148
  3. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998

Components

beta-inhibin or activin beta chain inhibin alpha chain (INHA)