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Department of Growth and Reproduction, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Anna-Maria Andersson, M.Sc, Ph.D., Department of Growth and Reproduction, section GR 5064, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. E-mail: anna{at}rh.dk
To elucidate the role of germ cells in the regulation of inhibin B
secretion, serum inhibin B levels in prepubertal boys and adult men
whom had a concurrent testicular biopsy showing either normal or
impaired testicular function were compared. In addition, by
immunohistochemistry the cellular localization of the two subunits of
inhibin B (
and ßB) were examined in adult testicular tissue with
normal spermatogenesis, spermatogenic arrest, or Sertoli cell only
tubules (SCO) as well as in normal testicular tissue from an infant and
a prepubertal boy. Adult men with testicular biopsy showing normal
spermatogenesis (n = 8) or spermatogenic arrest (n = 5) had
median inhibin B levels of 148 pg/mL (range, 37–463 pg/mL) and 68
pg/mL (range, 29–186 pg/mL), respectively, corresponding to normal or
near-normal levels of our reference population (165 and 31–443 pg/mL;
n = 358). Men with SCO (n = 9) had undetectable or barely
detectable (n = 1) serum levels of inhibin B. In contrast to
adults, prepubertal boys with SCO (n = 12) all had measurable
serum inhibin B levels that corresponded to our previously determined
normal range in healthy prepubertal boys (n = 114). However, in
postpubertal samples from the same SCO boys, inhibin B levels were
undetectable as in the adult SCO men. Intense inhibin -subunit
immunostaining was evident in Sertoli cells in both prepubertal and
adult testes. In the prepubertal testis, positive immunostaining for
the ßB-subunit was observed in Sertoli cells. In the adult testis,
intense immunostaining for the ßB-subunit was evident in germ cells
from the pachytene spermatocyte to early spermatid stages and to a
lesser degree in Leydig cells, but not in Sertoli cells or other stages
of germ cells. Thus, surprisingly, in adult men the two subunits
constituting inhibin B were expressed by different cell types. We
speculate that during puberty Sertoli cell maturation induces a change
in inhibin subunit expression. Thus, immature Sertoli cells express
both and ßB inhibin subunits, whereas fully differentiated
Sertoli cells only express the -subunit. The correlation in adult
men between serum inhibin B levels and spermatogenesis may be due to
the fact that inhibin B in adult men is possibly a joint product of
Sertoli cells and germ cells, including the stages from pachytene
spermatocytes to early spermatids.
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V. Vernaeve, H. Tournaye, J. Schiettecatte, G. Verheyen, A.V. Steirteghem, and P. Devroey Serum inhibin B cannot predict testicular sperm retrieval in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2002; 17(4): 971 - 976. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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N. Pitteloud, F. J. Hayes, P. A. Boepple, S. DeCruz, S. B. Seminara, D. T. MacLaughlin, and W. F. Crowley Jr. The Role of Prior Pubertal Development, Biochemical Markers of Testicular Maturation, and Genetics in Elucidating the Phenotypic Heterogeneity of Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2002; 87(1): 152 - 160. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. Fujisawa, M. Dobashi, T. Yamasaki, M. Kanzaki, H. Okada, S. Arakawa, and S. Kamidono Significance of serum inhibin B concentration for evaluating improvement in spermatogenesis after varicocelectomy Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2001; 16(9): 1945 - 1949. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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N. G. Wreford, T. Rajendra Kumar, M. M. Matzuk, and D. M. de Kretser Analysis of the Testicular Phenotype of the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone {beta}-Subunit Knockout and the Activin Type II Receptor Knockout Mice by Stereological Analysis Endocrinology, July 1, 2001; 142(7): 2916 - 2920. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. Schmiegelow, S. Lassen, H. S. Poulsen, K. Schmiegelow, H. Hertz, A.-M. Andersson, N. E. Skakkebak, and J. Muller Gonadal Status in Male Survivors following Childhood Brain Tumors J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2001; 86(6): 2446 - 2452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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T. M. Lovell, P. G. Knight, N. P. Groome, and R. T. Gladwell Measurement of Dimeric Inhibins and Effects of Active Immunization Against Inhibin {alpha}-Subunit on Plasma Hormones and Testis Morphology in the Developing Cockerel Biol Reprod, July 1, 2000; 63(1): 213 - 221. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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A. Giwercman, T. Kledal, M. Schwartz, Y. L. Giwercman, H. Leffers, H. Zazzi, A. Wedell, and N. E. Skakkebæk Preserved Male Fertility Despite Decreased Androgen Sensitivity Caused by a Mutation in the Ligand-Binding Domain of the Androgen Receptor Gene J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2000; 85(6): 2253 - 2259. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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J. Gromoll, U. Eiholzer, E. Nieschlag, and M. Simoni Male Hypogonadism Caused by Homozygous Deletion of Exon 10 of the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Receptor: Differential Action of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and LH J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2000; 85(6): 2281 - 2286. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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M. H. Abel, A. N. Wootton, V. Wilkins, I. Huhtaniemi, P. G. Knight, and H. M. Charlton The Effect of a Null Mutation in the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor Gene on Mouse Reproduction Endocrinology, May 1, 2000; 141(5): 1795 - 1803. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. von Eckardstein, M. Simoni, M. Bergmann, G. F. Weinbauer, P. Gassner, A. G. Schepers, and E. Nieschlag Serum Inhibin B in Combination with Serum Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Is a More Sensitive Marker Than Serum FSH Alone for Impaired Spermatogenesis in Men, But Cannot Predict the Presence of Sperm in Testicular Tissue Samples J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 1999; 84(7): 2496 - 2501. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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