DNA and protein synthesis of prostatic cultures in relation to histological response under the influence of testosterone and its metabolites.
Testosterone as well as dihydrotestosterone and 5alpha-androstane-3beta, 17beta-diol were capable of maintaining, in rather low concentrations (0.02, 0.02 and 1.0 mug/ml, respectively), the histological structure of the rat ventral prostate in organotypic tissue culture.  By means of histometrical analysis testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were found to be active in lower concentration (0.05 mug/ml) than adrostanediol.  In addition to the visual evaluation of the structure of the explants their total DNA and protein content was measured as well as their rate of incorporation of tritiated thymidine and leucine.  In a concentration of 1 mug/ml the response of the ventral prostate culture was almost equal to all the steroids.  Androstanediol, however, caused no stimulation in lowest concentrations (0.02-0.1 mug/ml) and was not toxic in the highest concentrations (100 mug/ml) at which testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were definately cytolytic.  When the serum from the culture medium was omitted even hormone concentrations close to the physiological level (0.003 mug/ml) could stimulate thymidine and leucine incorporation into the cultured ventral prostate.
D000731:Androstanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011467:Prostate / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
D000731:Androstanes; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D004247:DNA; D007930:Leucine; D013936:Thymidine