title: Regulation of anti-Müllerian hormone production in domestic animals.
abstract: In mammals, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) expression is detected in the granulosa cells of all growing follicles and is highest in healthy small antral follicles, which contribute most significantly to AMH endocrine levels. AMH is a reliable endocrine marker of this population of gonadotrophin-responsive follicles in ruminants and, over the longer term, plasma AMH concentrations are characteristic of individual animals. In the cow, plasma AMH concentrations follow specific dynamic profiles throughout the prepubertal period, the oestrous cycle and the change from gestation to the post partum period, with the alterations most likely reflecting numerical changes in the population of high AMH-producing follicles. In granulosa cells, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) enhance AMH gene expression and AMH synthesis, with these effects antagonised by FSH. BMP could both support follicular growth and contribute significantly to the induction and/or maintenance of AMH expression in small growing follicles. AMH expression decreases sharply in large follicles when they become oestrogenic, suggesting a role for FSH and/or oestradiol in these changes, but the underlying mechanisms remain hypothetical. A better understanding of the factors and mechanisms regulating AMH production is needed to propose new strategies for managing the reserve of primordial and small growing follicles, as well as for improving embryo production.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France. dmonniaux@tours.inra.fr
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monniaux
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Drouilhet
authors.forename: Charlène
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rico
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estienne
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jarrier
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Touzé
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sapa
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Phocas
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dupont
authors.forename: Rozenn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dalbiès-Tran
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fabre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000502:physiology*; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D012741:Sexual Maturation
chemical_list: D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone