title: Stereologic estimation of the number of neuroendocrine cells in normal human prostate detected by immunohistochemistry.
abstract: Neuroendocrine cells may play a role in both normal and pathologic conditions of the human prostate. It may be interesting to investigate 1) whether there are significant amounts of neuroendocrine cells in human adult normal prostate, and 2) whether the distribution of these cells shows regional differences. This study estimates both absolute and relative amounts of neuroendocrine cells immunostained for two neuronal markers (chromogranin A and protein gene product 9.5) and for serotonin in the three regions of human prostate, transition zone, central zone, and peripheral zone, using unbiased stereologic measurements. There was observed a predominance of neuroendocrine cells in the transition zone of the normal prostate. The neuroendocrine cells of this region may play a role in the genesis of benign prostate hyperplasia. The significant presence of neuroendocrine cells secreting neuropeptides in peripheral zone could be correlated with the induction of androgen-independent growth in prostate carcinogenesis. The wolffian origin attributed to the central zone can explain its poor population of neuroendocrine cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods*; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D012701:Serotonin; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase