title: Neuroendocrine cells in the normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic prostate.
abstract: Neuroendocrine cells can be demonstrated in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic prostatic tissues. The products secreted by these cells can be used as tissue and/or serum markers but may also have biological effects. Neuroendocrine cells in prostate cancer most probably do not contain the androgen receptor and are therefore primarily androgen independent. Some of the neuropeptides secreted by the neuroendocrine cells may act as growth factor by activation of membrane receptors in an autocrine-paracrine fashion or by ligand-independent activation of the androgen receptor in neighboring non-neuroendocrine cells. Evidence is accumulating from experiments with tumor models that neuropeptides indeed can influence the growth of prostatic tumor cells. Future research on neuroendocrine differentiation may answer some questions concerning the biological behavior of clinical prostatic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Noordzij
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: van Steenbrugge
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: van der Kwast
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values