Characterization of canine prostatic cells from normal and hyperplastic glands

Abstract

Secretory and non-secretory epithelial cells and fibroblasts obtained from normal and hyperplastic canine prostate glands and from prostates of 6-week castrated dogs are cultured in monolayers. Prostatic fibroblasts are grown in non-selective culture medium and found at densities of 1.040–1,045 g/ml in Percoll gradients. Enriched populations of each epithelial cell type are obtained by varying the duration of the culture combined with the use of selective MEM D-Val mixture. When separated by centrifugation in Percoll density gradients, the secretory cells (high A.P.) are found at densities of 1.02–1.03 g/ml whereas the non-secretory cells (low A.P.) have densities of 1.05–1.06 g/ml. Both epithelial cell types are present in the normal and hyperplastic glands at the time of explantation. There is no correlation between the prostatic weight and the proportion of each cell type present in the tissue. On the basis of cell density in Percoll gradients and A.P. activity, those prostates with a high percentage of non-secretory epithelial cells yield better attachment and overall cultures than glands consisting mainly of secretory cells. Our results strongly suggest that non-secretory cells are precursors of the secretory type. In addition, the cells involved in the aging process of the culture are the secretory epithelial cells.