Characterization of rat ventral prostatic epithelial cells in collagen gel culture

Abstract

AbstractThe characterization of rat ventral prostatic epithelial cells grown in collagen gel culture was undertaken to determine the usefulness of this culture technique for the study of prostatic growth and differentiation in vitro. The results of these studies demonstrate that embedding prostatic epithelial cells in a matrix of collagen gel permitted rapid proliferation and maintenance of the cells for a prolonged period of time in a state that showed remarkable structural resemblance and physiological responsiveness to that found in vivo. Three‐dimensional outgrowths from dissociated single epithelial cells and/or small aggregates of epithelial cells were obtained which resembled structures actually found within the prostate gland, as determined by histological and visual examination of the cellular growths present within the gels. In addition, the responsiveness of the cells in the collagen gel cultures to various hormonal additives, including insulin, testosterone, prolactin, and estradiol correlated closely to the manner in which these cells have been shown to respond in vivo. The general characteristics of growth of the cells in the collagen gel cultures, the effect of various sera and different pH levels upon growth, and the ability of the cells to produce acid phosphatase were also investigated.