Proliferation of human prostatic epithelial cells in culture: aspects of identification.

A reproducible explant culture technique has been developed to study in monolayer, the growth of human prostatic epithelium from specimens of tissue removed from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The procedure was used to study hormone responsiveness of prostatic tissue. The cells appear to originate from the progenitors of glandular epithelium and possess epithelial characteristics, as assessed by histologic, electron microscopic and immunocytochemical procedures. Close cell-to-cell contacts, desmosomes and microvilli were visualized in electron micrographs. In addition, we observed immunocytochemical localization of epithelial antigens in the cells which constituted the monolayer by using antisera raised against purified prostatic epithelium. Prostatic acid phosphatase was not detected histochemically in the monolayers and may reflect the non-secretory state of the cells. Growth parameters under various hormonal conditions were assessed by counting metaphase arrested cells, total cell number and measurement of the area covered by the monolayers. Proliferation was significantly increased by the addition of physiological concentrations of either testosterone or 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.