Summary
Rat dorsal prostate epithelium was studied in intact adult animals, in animals castrated for three days and in rats after inhibition of prolactin secretion. Thin sections, electron-microscopic autoradiographs and freeze-fracture replicas were used to analyze the process of apocrine secretion in this gland. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus of the secretory cells are well developed, but secretory granules are absent. The only sign indicating release of secretory material is the appearance of blebs originating from the apical plasma membrane. Freeze-fracture replicas of the apical plasma membrane reveal that the blebs develop randomly from the bases of microvilli-like protrusions. In vitro pulse labeling of the proteins using 3H-leucine resulted in a labeling of the apical blebs. A post-castration period of three days was sufficient to reduce drastically the number and size of the apical blebs concomitant with regressive changes of the cell. Suppression of prolactin secretion for three weeks by application of lisuride, a synthetic ergot alkaloid, also induced regressive changes in the secretory cells. The apical blebs were still present, but they were shrunken and their content appeared condensed. These experimental conditions proved that the apical blebs are closely related to the functional activity of the cells and are interpreted as true apocrine secretion in the rat dorsal epithelium.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad, N., Warren, D.W.: Lack of any apparent effects of ergot alkaloids on the reproductive organs of male rat. Anat. Rec. 190, 320 abstr. (1978)
Aumüller, G.: Prostate and seminal vesicle. In: Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen (W. Bargmann, ed.) Teil 6, Band VII, 2 Heidelberg-Berlin-New York: Springer 1978 (in press)
Barkey, R.J., Shani, J., Amit, T., Barzilai, D.: Specific binding of prolactin to seminal vesicle, prostate and testicular homogenates of immature, mature and aged rats. J. Endocrinol. 74, 163–173 (1977)
Bartke, A., Hafiez, A.A., Bex, F.J., Dalterio, S.: Hormonal interactions in regulation of androgen secretion. Biol. Reprod. 18, 44–54 (1978)
Bloom, W., Fawcett, D.W.: A Textbook of Histology. Tenth edition, Philadelphia-London-Toronto: W.B. Saunders Comp. 1975
Brandes, D.: The fine structure and histochemistry of prostatic glands in relation to sex hormones. Int. Rev. Cytol. 20, 207–276 (1966)
Brandes, D.: Fine structure and cytochemistry of male sex accessory organs. In: Male Accessory Organs — Structure and Function in Mammals (Brandes, D., ed.) 18–114, New York-San Francisco-London: Academic Press 1974
Brandes, D., Portela, A.: The fine structure of the epithelial cells of the mouse prostate. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 7, 505–509 (1960)
Caro, L.G., Van Tubergen, R.P.: High resolution autoradiography I. Methods. J. Cell Biol. 15, 173–188 (1962)
Costlow, M.E., McGuire, W.L.: Autoradiographic localization of the binding of 125I-labelled prolactin to rat tissues in vitro. J. Endocrinol. 75, 221–226 (1977)
Dahl, E.: The ultrastructure of the accessory sex organs of the male rat. XI: Nuclear alterations of prostatic epithelial cells induced by castration. Cell Tissue Res. 171, 285–296 (1976)
Dahl, E., Kjaerheim, A.: The ultrastructure of the accessory sex organs of the male rat. II. The post-castration involution of the ventral, lateral and the dorsal prostate. Z. Zellforsch. 144, 167–178 (1973)
Dahl, E., Kjaerheim, A., Tveter, K.J.: The ultrastructure of the male rat. I. Normal structure. Z. Zellforsch. 137, 345–359 (1973 a)
Dahl, E., Tveter, K.J., Kjaerheim, A.: The ultrastructure of the accessory sex organs of the male rat. IV. Effect of testosterone. Acta Endocrinol. Kbh. 74, 605–614 (1973b)
Eagle, H.: Amino acid metabolism in mammalian cell cultures. Science 130, 432–440 (1959)
Ernst, St.A.: Transport ATPase cytochemistry: Ultrastructural localization of potassium-dependent and potassium-independent phosphatase activities in rat kidney cortex. J. Cell Biol. 66, 586–608 (1975)
Flickinger, Ch.: Protein secretion in the rat ventral prostate and the relation of Golgi vesicles, cisternae and vacuoles, as studied by electron microscope autoradiography. Anat. Rec. 180, 427–448 (1974)
Flickinger, Ch., Fawcett, D.W.: The junctional specializations of Sertoli cells in the seminiferous epithelium. Anat. Rec. 158, 207–222 (1967)
Franks, L.M., Barton, A.A.: The effects of testosterone on the ultrastructure of the mouse prostate in vivo and in organ culture. Exp. Cell Res. 19, 35–50 (1960)
Fukazawa, N., Aumüller, G.: Zur Feinstruktur und Funktion der Prostata ventralis der Ratte unter Prolaktin-Mangelbedingungen. Verh. anat. Ges., 73. Vers. Innsbruck 1978 (in press)
Gräf, K J., Neumann, F., Horowski, R.: Effect of the ergot derivate lisuride hydrogen maleate on serum prolactin. Endocrinology 98, 598–605 (1976)
Grasso, R.: La secreción de la glándula prostática y su importancia en la formation de los cuerpos amiláceos. Arch. Soc. Biol. Montevideo 20, 159–182 (1953)
Grayhack, J.T.: Pituitary factors influencing growth of the prostate. Nat. Cancer Inst. Monogr. 12, 189–199 (1963)
Gunn, S.A., Gould, T.: A correlative anatomical and functional study of the dorsolateral prostate of the rat. Anat. Rec. 128, 41–54 (1957)
Hanlin, M.L., Yount, A.P.: Prolactin binding in the rat ventral prostate. Endocrin. Res. Commun. 2, 489–502 (1975)
Harper, M.E., Danutra, V., Chandler, J.A., Griffiths, K.: The effect of 2-bromo-lga-ergocryptine (CB 154) administration on the hormon levels, organ weights, prostatic morphology and zinc concentrations in the male rat. Acta Endocrinol., Kbh. 83, 211–224 (1976)
Helminen, H.J., Ericsson, J.L.E.: On the mechanism of lysosomal enzyme secretion. Electron microscopic and histochemical studies on the epithelial cells of the rat's ventral prostate lobe. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 33, 528–549 (1970)
Hostetter, M.W., Piasek, B.E.: The effect of prolactin deficiency during sexual maturation in the male rat. Biol. Reprod. 17, 574–577 (1977)
Ito, S., Karnovsky, M.J.: Formaldehyde-glutaraldehyde fixatives containing trinitro compounds. J. Cell Biol. 39, 168a-169a (1968)
Johansson, R.: Effect of prolactin, growth hormone and insulin on uptake and binding of dihydrotestosterone to the cultured rat ventral prostate. Acta Endocrinol. (Kopenh.) 81, 854–864 (1976)
Karnovsky, M.J.: Use of ferrocyanide-reduced osmium tetroxide in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 51, 146A (1971)
Luft, J.H.: Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 9, 409–413 (1961)
Maser, M.D., Soanes, W.A., Gonder, M.J.: A possible mechanism for canine prostatic secretion. J. Urol. 102, 734–740 (1969)
Nicander, L., Plöen, L., Larsson, M.: Specific apocrine secretion in the anterior lobe of the prostate gland of rabbits. Cell Tissue Res. 151, 69–77 (1974)
Peixoto, de Menezes, A., Pinto da Silva, P.: Freeze-fracture observations of the lactating rat mammary gland. Membrane events during milk fat secretion. J. Cell Biol. 76, 767–778 (1978)
Plöen, L., Nicander, L.: Fine structure of apocrine secretion in the anterior lobe of the prostate gland in rabbits. Proc. Nord. Soc. Cell Biol. 9, 11–16 (1976)
Röhlich, K.: Über die Prostatasekretion. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 43, 451–465 (1938)
Thompson, S.A., Heidger, P.M.: Synergistic effects of prolactin and testosterone in the restoration of rat prostatic epithelium following castration. Anat. Rec. 191, 31–46 (1978)
Witorsch, R.J., Smith, J.P.: Evidence for androgen-dependent intracellular binding of prolactin in rat ventral prostate gland. Endocrinology 101, 929–938 (1977)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Professor G. Petry on the occasion of his 65th birthday
The financial support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (AU 48/3) is gratefully acknowledged
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aumüller, G., Adler, G. Experimental studies of apocrine secretion in the dorsal prostate epithelium of the rat. Cell Tissue Res. 198, 145–158 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234842
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234842