Inhibin, a gonadal protein, suppresses pituttary gland FSH production. Deteraining serua concentrations of diaeric inhibins (A and B), biologically active, and Pro-aC inhibin immunoreactivity (biologically inactive) as markers of Sertoli and granulosa cell function might becoae useful tools to assess gonacal function to physiological and pathological conditions.

The aim of this study was to deteraine serua concentrations of FSH([Illegible Text]) and inhibin A, B and Pro-aC (pg/al) using a nevly developed anzyae-linked two-site iaaunoassay in normal children from birth to puberty. Thirty girls and fifty six boys aged 2 months to 16 years old were included in this study. The results obtained are shown in the following table:

Table 1
Full size table

Our results snowed that: 1) inhibin A was very low in girls, 2) inh B and Pro-aC inhibin concentrations were higher in boys than in girls, 3) inhB/Pro-aC ratio was >1 in boys throughout the ages studied, 4) in boys under 6 months old inhibin concentrations were similar to those observed at puberty, these concentrations decreased during childhood, 5) in girls, inhibin concentrations did not change until puberty and increase thereafter with FSH. These findings led us to increase our knowledge of the relationship between inhibins and FSH in physiological conditions from birth to puberty. Inhibin A, B and Pro-aC can be considered new markers of gonadal function and say be used for the study of different pathologies in infancy and adolescence.