Research background · Updated November 1, 2026
Follistatin Research: Publications, Study Types and Background
Short answer
Follistatin. As of November 1, 2026, PubMed indexes 2,983 records matching Follistatin, the earliest from 1987; 576 were published in 2021–2025 and 306 are reviews. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 83 registered studies matching the compound.
- PubMed records
- 2,983
- Earliest record
- 1987
- Published 2021–2025
- 576
- Reviews
- 306
- Animal-only studies
- 1,073
- Registered studies
- 83
Publications per year, 2006–2025
1,289 records in 2016–2025 against 983 in 2006–2015; the busiest year was 2020, with 160.
See the numbers
| Year | PubMed records |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 77 |
| 2007 | 85 |
| 2008 | 89 |
| 2009 | 100 |
| 2010 | 81 |
| 2011 | 112 |
| 2012 | 109 |
| 2013 | 99 |
| 2014 | 115 |
| 2015 | 116 |
| 2016 | 114 |
| 2017 | 141 |
| 2018 | 126 |
| 2019 | 116 |
| 2020 | 160 |
| 2021 | 151 |
| 2022 | 126 |
| 2023 | 118 |
| 2024 | 113 |
| 2025 | 124 |
Study types
| All PubMed records | 2,983 |
|---|---|
| Reviews | 30610% |
| Animal studies (no human subjects indexed) | 1,07336% |
| Indexed as clinical trials | 903% |
| Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov | 83 |
Categories overlap and follow PubMed’s own indexing; recent records may not be indexed yet.
Primary research directions
What 2 of the most-cited and most recent Follistatin papers report, in their own authors’ terms. Each line links the paper it came from.
TGF-beta family binding
This review describes follistatin as a secreted protein that binds and neutralizes many members of the TGF-beta family, discusses its roles in muscle development and skeletal patterning, and raises its possible use in disorders of TGF-beta family over-production.
ReviewPatel K 1998The international journal of biochemistry & cell biologyPMID 9785474
Activin binding and FSH
This review describes follistatin as a protein first isolated as a suppressor of FSH secretion, structurally distinct from inhibin, and notes that its activin-binding role suggests wider biological functions.
ReviewRobertson DM 1992Trends in endocrinology and metabolismPMID 18407081
Most-studied topics
The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic, across 400 of the 2,983 records. They describe what the literature is about, not what Follistatin does.
- Follistatin204 papers
- Glycoproteins125 papers
- Activins85 papers
- Inhibins69 papers
- Inhibin-beta Subunits28 papers
- RNA, Messenger26 papers
- Myostatin24 papers
- Muscle, Skeletal22 papers
Key papers
Earliest indexed record
Esch FS (1987). Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.).
PMID 3153465Most-cited paper · 617 citations
Hemmati-Brivanlou A (1994). Cell.
PMID 8168135Most-cited #2 · 496 citations
Matzuk MM (1995). Nature.
PMID 7885475Most-cited #3 · 376 citations
Iemura S (1998). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
PMID 9689081
Citation counts from NIH iCite, among the 400 records sampled. Titles are left out; open each record on PubMed to read it.
Identity
| Identity data | On request |
|---|
Identity data from PubChem, retrieved November 1, 2026, on the Follistatin page.
How these numbers were counted
- PubMed search, run November 1, 2026:
follistatin[tiab]re-run it. Study types add PubMed’s own filters (review, clinical trial, animals not humans). - Topics: MeSH major-topic headings counted across up to 400 of the matching records; headings for study set-up (species, sex, age) are left out.
- Citations: NIH iCite citation counts for the same records.
- ClinicalTrials.gov search:
follistatinre-run it. Any phase, any status.
This page reports what has been published and what papers say they found, with each source linked. It gives no dosing or usage information, and nothing here is a reason to use Follistatin outside a laboratory.
Wholesale supply
Follistatin, sourced to order for research.
Not held in the listed catalog. Tell us the vial size and the number of vials and we come back with availability, documentation and pricing in writing.
Follistatin research questions
How much research has been published on Follistatin?
PubMed indexes 2,983 records matching Follistatin (searched November 1, 2026), including 306 reviews and 90 records indexed as clinical trials. 576 were published in the five years 2021–2025.
When was Follistatin first described in the literature?
The earliest PubMed record matching Follistatin is from 1987 (Esch FS, Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.), PMID 3153465).
What topics does the Follistatin literature cover?
The subject headings PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic of Follistatin papers are Follistatin, Glycoproteins, Activins, Inhibins. These describe what the literature is about. Findings from individual papers, with their sources, are summarized on this page.
Is Follistatin sold for human use?
No. Vanta Foundry supplies it for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement.
Where can I buy Follistatin wholesale for research?
We source Follistatin to order rather than stock it. Tell us the vial size and number of vials on WhatsApp or by email and the quote confirms availability, documentation and pricing.
Research materials supplied by Vanta Foundry are for laboratory research use only. They are not for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods, cosmetics or dietary supplements. Websites and payment processing are business services for research-supply brands.
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