The
inhibin B pubertal surge is a prominent signal of gonadal maturation in females as well as in males. In boys, it denotes the final functional maturation of Sertoli cells, which is accompanied by a progressive suppression of antimüllerian
hormone production. In girls it reflects the initial recruitment of preantral follicles and their evolution to the
antral stage. In both the prepubertal quiescent phase and the active peripubertal phase there is a striking sexual dimorphism,
inhibin B levels being significantly higher in boys than in girls, in contrast to
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Determining
inhibin B levels together with FSH levels is of considerable help for diagnosing disorders of pubertal development. In girls with central precocious precocity,
inhibin B levels are in accordance with the clinical stage of maturation, by contrast to normal or low levels in the
McCune-Albright syndrome. In boys with
delayed puberty,
inhibin B levels are very low in
congenital defects of the
gonadotropin-releasing hormone-FSH-testis axis, but they are normal or intermediate in constitutional
delayed puberty. Together with antimüllerian
hormone,
inhibin B is a useful marker of the presence of Sertoli cells in
bilateral cryptorchidism and in the
androgen insensitivity syndrome. In addition,
inhibin B measurement, together with that of
inhibin A, is helpful for the diagnosis and follow-up of
inhibin-secreting
tumors: granulosa cell tumors in girls and Sertoli cell
tumors of the
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in boys. In conclusion,
inhibin determination is an essential tool in the assessment of physiological development as well as in the management of pubertal disorders.