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FSH: One Hormone with Multiple Forms, or a Family of Multiple Hormones

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Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is produced within pituitary gonadotroph cells and is a critical component of the reproductive process. It has a wide variety of activities in both male and female reproductive tissues including growth, division, and differentiation of Sertoli and granulosa cells. As a result, FSH is directly involved in the production of both male and female gametes, as well as production of hormones (estradiol and inhibin) that feed back to influence secretion of FSH from the pituitary.

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ACTH:

adrenocorticotropic hormone

ALK4:

activin receptor-like kinase 4

Asn:

asparagine

cAMP:

cyclic adenosine monophosphate

CGA:

common glycoprotein alpha

CHO cells:

Chinese hamster ovary cells

FSH:

follicle stimulating hormone

GalNAc:

N-acetylgalactosamine

GlcNAc:

N-acetylglucosamine

GnRH:

gonadotropin releasing hormone, or LHRH – luteinizing hormone releasing hormone

hCG:

human chorionic gonadotropin

HEK-293 cells:

human embryonic kidney cells

hMG:

human menopausal gonadotropin

IP3:

inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate

LH:

luteinizing hormone

MAPK:

mitogen-activated protein kinase

PACAP:

pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide

PDGF:

platelet-derived growth factor

PKC:

protein kinase C

PRE:

progesterone response element

RER:

rough endoplasmic reticulum

rFSH:

recombinant follicle stimulating hormone

TGF-β:

transforming growth factor-β

TSH:

thyroid stimulating hormone

UTR:

untranslated region

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Rozell, T.G., Okrainetz, R.J. (2009). FSH: One Hormone with Multiple Forms, or a Family of Multiple Hormones. In: Chedrese, P. (eds) Reproductive Endocrinology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-88186-7_14

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