An understanding of the participation of inhibin and activin in the regulation of the ovary and testis has provided illuminating insights into the physiology and pathology of human gonadal function. Rapid progress has been made in both reproductive physiology and possible applications in clinical practice. In addition, the discovery that both inhibin and activin are placental hormones with altered secretion in disease states, such as pre-eclampsia, has proven to be one of the most exciting aspects of work in this area of human biology.This book comprehensively reviews the current state of knowledge in this field, and identifies areas for future work in both clinical and basic research.Contents:Development of Immunoassays for Inhibin, Activin and Follistatin (L W Evans & N P Groome)Endocrine, Autocrine and Paracrine Actions of Inhibin, Activin and Follistatin on Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (V Padmanabhan & C West)Regulation of Production and Intraovarian Roles of Inhibin, Activin and Follistatin (P G Knight & C Glister)Inhibin, Activin and Follistatin in Human Pregnancy (S Muttukrishna)Follistatin: From Puberty to Menopause (D J Phillips et al.)Inhibin and Activin in the Male (W Ledger)Measurement of Inhibin and Activin: A Diagnostic Tool in Female Reproductive Endocrinology? (G Lockwood)Clinical Utility of Inhibin/Activin Subunits in the Immunopathology of Gonadal Tissue (S Manek)Activin Receptors and Their Mechanism of Action (C M Zimmerman & L S Mathews)Transgenic Mouse Models to Study Inhibin and Activin (T M Pierson & M M Matzuk)Readership: Gynaecologists, biochemists, cell biologists and physiologists.