Summary
The explants of the rat ventral prostate were cultured on a chemically defined medium and the effects of individual hormones viz. testosterone, hydrocortisone and insulin on the fine structure of the epithelial cells were investigated. The epithelial cells without hormones underwent regressive changes resembling those seen in vivo after castration. Large autophagic vacuoles, residual bodies and dilations of rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) were noted on day 2 of the culture. Four days later the amount of rough ER was markedly decreased and no secretory vesicles were visible.
The treatment of the explants with testosterone resulted in an apparent intensification of the morphological equivalents of secretion. Beside the well developed rough ER and Golgi complex, numerous large secretory vesicles with flocculent content were observed. These observations are compatible with the idea that testosterone promotes the formation and probably also the excretion of the secretion in the epithelial cells. Testosterone also prevented partially the appearance of the signs of cellular degeneration.
The most characteristic feature of hydrocortisone-treated epithelial cells was the copious supply of rough ER. Of particular interest was the formation of endoplasmic reticulum whorls which could not be observed in control and testosterone-treated cells. Hydrocortisone was shown to promote the formation of juvenile secretory vesicles on the second day.
Insulin delayed the onset of the degeneration of the epithelial cells. Marked degenerative changes were, however, noted on day 6. There was no specific ultrastructural characteristic that could be interpreted to be specific for insulin action in the epithelial cell.
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Dr. I. Ichihara was a recipient of a Turku University Grant for foreign investigators.
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Ichihara, I., Santti, R.S. & Pelliniemi, L.J. Effects of testosterone, hydrocortisone and insulin on the fine structure of the epithelium of rat ventral prostate in organ culture. Z.Zellforsch 143, 425–438 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307425
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307425