We tested the hypotheses that the secretion of dimeric inhibin-A from cultured bovine granulosa cells is stimulated by FSH, and that antral cells secrete more inhibin-A than do mural cells. Cells from the antral or mural compartment of follicles were cultured in defined medium in two culture systems, and dimeric inhibin-A was measured by two-site ELISA or by Western immunoblotting. In the first culture system, dimeric inhibin-A secretion declined with time in culture, but was significantly (P<0.05) higher from antral than from mural cells (as was total inhibin-alpha measured by RIA). The secretion of dimeric inhibin-A and inhibin-alpha from antral but not mural cells was responsive to FSH. In the second culture system, dimeric inhibin-A secretion increased with time in culture, and was significantly stimulated by FSH, but FSH responsiveness was dependent on the concentrations of insulin in the culture medium. The major forms of inhibin-A secreted had molecular masses of approximately 58, 62, 103-116 and >116 kDa; the 32 kDa form was barely detectable. These different forms were all stimulated by FSH, but the >116 and 62 kDa forms were most responsive to FSH. We conclude that (i) FSH stimulates dimeric inhibin-A secretion from bovine granulosa cells, (ii) the 62 kDa form of inhibin-A may be more responsive to FSH than the 58 kDa form, and (iii) the spatial differentiation of granulosa cell function within the follicle previously observed for oestradiol secretion was also observed for inhibin-alpha and dimeric inhibin-A secretion.