Microscopic Connection between the Regulation of Follicular Development by Anti-müllerian Hormone and"Kidney Storing Essence and Governing Reproduction"
Anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH)levels reflect the status of the ovarian primordial follicle pool and serve as a reliable marker for predicting ovarian reserve function.AMH regulates follicular growth and development,inhibiting the recruitment and transformation of follicles during the activation of primordial follicles,thereby protecting the follicle pool.In the subsequent stages of primary follicle recruitment and selection,AMH promotes the development of dominant follicles.Kidney essence,which is stored in the kidneys and consists of both congenital and acquired essence,shares certain similarities with AMH in terms of origin,distribu-tion,life rhythms,and function."Kidney storing essence and governing reproduction"is a key concept from the Huangdi's Internal Classic(Huang Di Nei Jing),which highlights the kidneys'role in reproductive function.The yin and yang within the kidneys are interdependent and mutually restraining,nourishing the thoroughfare and conception vessels and the uterus."Kidney storing es-sence"forms the foundation and prerequisite for the kidneys'role in reproduction.During the development of primordial follicles,the essence is stored in the kidneys and yin essence plays a role in preserving and stabilizing this essence.In the subsequent stages of primary follicle development,based on the essence stored in the kidneys,yang qi in the kidneys plays a crucial role in"governing reproduction".This function is closely related to AMH in regulating follicular growth and development,indicating an intrinsic con-nection between AMH and kidney essence in reproductive health.
Kidney storing essenceKidney governing reproductionTraditional Chinese medicine theoryAnti-Müllerian hor-moneFolliclesGrowth and developmentMicroscopic connectionScientific connotation