Cell proliferation studies in the rat prostate: II. The effects of castration and androgen-induced regeneration upon basal and secretory cell proliferation

The changes over short and prolonged periods (up to three months) after castration on the proliferative activity of basal and secretory epithelial cells in the rat prostate were studied. Although castration induced widespread apoptosis of the secretory cells, no compensatory hyperplasia of the basal cells in response to this was noted. Instead, observations of the cell kinetics and ultrastructure suggested that both the basal and secretory cells entered a quiescent state as a result of castration. The proliferative potential of secretory cells was not diminished up to three months after castration. During androgen-induced regeneration of the prostate the pattern of basal and secretory cell proliferation was found to be similar to that observed during normal growth, although it was more rapid and of shorter duration.