Inhibins and activins inhibit and activate, respectively, the secretion of follitropin by the pituitary gland. Inhibins/activins are involved in regulating a number of diverse functions such as hypothalamic and pituitary hormone secretion, gonadal hormone secretion, germ cell development and maturation, erythroid differentiation, insulin secretion, nerve cell survival, embryonic axial development or bone growth, depending on their subunit composition. Inhibins appear to oppose the functions of activins.
Specificity
Natural and recombinant Mouse Inhibin beta B chain
Homo- or heterodimer; disulfide-linked. Inhibin A is a dimer of alpha and beta-A. Inhibin B is a dimer of alpha and beta-B. Activin A is a homodimer of beta-A. Activin B is a homodimer of beta-B. Activin AB is a dimer of beta-A and beta-B. Interacts with FST and FSTL3.