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This chapter discusses the chemical and biological characterization of the inhibin family of protein hormones, which is a family of peptides isolated from the follicular fluid or rete testis fluid on the basis of their ability to inhibit the secretion of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by cultured rat anterior pituitary cells. It also reviews the possible roles of inhibin and fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP)/activin in placenta, brain, and bone marrow. Inhibin-related dimers are broadly distributed anatomically and have powerful activities in several biological systems where inhibin and FRP/activin often exhibit opposite effects. While the physiologic roles of inhibin to regulate FSH secretion in the female rat and immature male rat are strongly supported, the significance of these hormones within the gonad, brain, placenta, and bone marrow have yet to be placed in in vivo context. Although the panoply of functions …