Follistatin
Follistatin has been studied in 1,500 papers since 1988: 110 trials and 451 observational studies in people, 226 in animals, 415 in cells, 283 reviews; 42 in the past year. The newest paper, Aug 27, 2026: “Grip strength as a systems biomarker of aging: neuromuscular junction constraints and biomarker decoupling in gene therapy”.
1,500 papers study it4 findingsUpdated
None of its findings points the other way.
- 1 lab in 1 country
- Funders: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and 5 more
- Human trial45
- Humans48
- Animals24
- Model organisms1
- Cells10
What did studies of Follistatin find?
3Studies of Follistatin measured 3 outcomes; the most studied are cellular senescence (1 study), inflammation (1) and kidney fibrosis (1).
Cellular senescence
downin human cells1downin mice1
1 study
Cellular senescence
downin human cells1downin mice1
Follistatin decreases cellular senescence in human cells.
“In addition, FS reduced hyperglycemia-induced renal fibroblast activation and renal tubule epithelial cell senescence in vitro.”
Cellsin high glucose-exposed renal tubule epithelial cells
Kidney360
Follistatin decreases cellular senescence in mice.
“Activin A antagonism with FS reduced senescence (p19), proinflammatory (including senescence-associated secretory phenotype), and profibrotic markers including activin A.”
Animalsin db/db mice with angiotensin II-induced accelerated nephropathyintraperitoneal; two doseskidney5 μg
Kidney360
Inflammation
downin mice1
1 study
Inflammation
downin mice1
Follistatin decreases inflammation in mice.
“FS decreased kidney macrophage and leukocyte infiltration and absent in melanoma 2 inflammasome activation.”
Animalsin db/db mice with angiotensin II-induced accelerated nephropathyintraperitoneal; two doseskidney5 μg
Kidney360
Kidney fibrosis
downin mice1
1 study
Kidney fibrosis
downin mice1
Follistatin decreases kidney fibrosis in mice.
“FS improved kidney morphology, restored podocyte markers (nephrin and Wilms tumor-1), and reduced kidney injury biomarkers, albuminuria and kidney fibrosis.”
Animalsin db/db mice with angiotensin II-induced accelerated nephropathyintraperitoneal; two doseskidney5 μg
Kidney360
Funding
1 grant since 2021National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication DisordersUS$537.5k