Activins and activin antagonists in the human ovary and ovarian cancer

摘要

Activins are members of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily that play an important role in controlling cell proliferation and differentiation in many organs including the ovary. It is essential that activin signalling be tightly regulated as imbalances can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer. This review describes the expression and function of the activins and their known antagonists in both normal and cancerous human ovaries. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.