Role of anti-Müllerian hormone and bone morphogenetic proteins in the regulation of FSH sensitivity

• Published in: Molecular and cellular endocrinology Vol. 382; no. 1; pp. 460 - 465
• Main Authors: Visser, Jenny A., Themmen, Axel P.N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 25.01.2014
• Subjects: AMH; Animals; Anti-Mullerian Hormone - metabolism; BMP; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins - metabolism; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - metabolism; Folliculogenesis; FSH; Humans; Models, Biological; Ovary; Ovary - metabolism; Ovary; FSH; BMP; AMH; Folliculogenesis
• ISSN: 0303-7207; 1872-8057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2013.08.012

•BMPs and AMH play an essential role in the intraovarian regulation of FSH sensitivity.•The BMP system is involved in the communication between all major cell types of the ovary: theca cells, granulosa cells and oocytes. The ovary is under control of the hypothalamus and pituitary through the glycoprotein hormones LH and FSH. These hormones undergo a cyclic variation which results in the selection of the species-specific number of follicles that will ovulate during the cycle. Where LH is the main ovulatory hormone and regulator of corpus luteum function, FSH plays an essential role in the cyclic recruitment of the follicles. Within the microenvironment of the ovary, growth factors affect this dominant control of FSH by regulating the FSH sensitivity of individual follicles. In this review we discuss the role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in this process.