| Research Abstract |
Antisera have been raised against purified porcine and bovine ovarian inhibins. We have now established RIA systems that can be used for the measurement of inhibin concentrations in peripheral sera of cyclic pigs, rats, cows, goats, and women. In cycling pigs, rats and goats, serum inhibin levels are high during the follicular phase and them drop sharply after the prevulatory LH/FSH surge. In these animals inhibin levels are relatively low during the luteal phase. Several small inhibin perks are also found during luteal phase in these animals. In Cycling pigs, rats, and goats, fluctuations in inhibin levels that persisted for a fairly long time after ovulation may reflect the development and degeneration of follicules present in the ovary during the period. In Cycling cows, serum inhibin levels reached a maximum 36 to 48 hours after the preovulatory LH/FSH surge, when serum progesterone levels remained low. Inhibin levels then droppedand remained relatively low during the luteal phase. A clear relationship between FSH and inhibin could not be established in cycling cows, except during the period of the second FSH surge. In the menstrual cycles of women, serum inhibin levels were quite high during the luteal phase, in contrast to the other mammals examined thus far. This suggests that a major source of inhibin during the luteal phase is the corpus luteum, at least in women. Therefore, the corpus luteum of women seems to be functionally different from that of the other mammals as it relates to inhibin production.
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