title: Changes in concentrations of follistatin in maternal plasma and foetal fluids during pregnancy and parturition in sheep.
abstract: Studies have shown that follistatin may be involved in the regulation of ovarian development, pregnancy and parturition. The aim of the present study was to measure follistatin levels in maternal plasma and foetal fluids during pregnancy and parturition in sheep. Using a previously described follistatin radioimmunoassay, we found that follistatin in foetal plasma and allantoic fluid was higher in the female than in the male at days 50-75 of gestation. Follistatin concentrations in maternal plasma declined from -9 to -3h before the completion of lamb delivery, and increased from 21 to 39 h after parturition. These results suggest that follistatin may play a role in femaleness development, and that follistatin may be involved in the mechanism of normal parturition and in regulation of the tissue repair after parturition.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bioactive Discovery in Health and Aging, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, Australia. Xia.Yin@mgh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Shea
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: McFarlane
mesh_terms: D000481:Allantoin / Q000378:metabolism; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D038681:Follistatin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D038681:Follistatin; D000481:Allantoin