Neuroendocrine cells in the prostate of the rat, guinea pig, cat, and dog

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Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuroendocrine (NE) cells in the human prostate gland probably have a local regulatory role in both prostatic growth and differentiation as well as in the exocrine secretory process. Moreover, NE cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of both prostatic cancer and hyperplasia. To enhance the knowledge of the physiological and pathophysiological role of NE cells in the prostate gland, we wanted to establish an experimental animal model. METHODS All lobes of the prostatic complex of rats with different serum levels of testosterone, as well as the prostate of the guinea pig, cat, and dog, were studied. Prostatic tissue fixed in different fixatives was studied with regard to NE cells by using cytochemical and immunohistochemical staining techniques, as well as Northern blotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) for detection of rat chromogranin A (CgA) mRNA. RESULTS The present study indicates the absence of NE cells in the rat prostatic complex. No expression of CgA RNA was detectable either by Northern blotting or by RT‐PCR. Only a few argyrophil cells in the prostatic complex of guinea pig were detected in tissue fixed in Bouin's solution. CONCLUSIONS Rat, guinea pig, cat, and dog are not suitable animals in physiological studies of NE cells in the prostate gland. Prostate 33:18–25, 1997.