title: Presence of neuroendocrine cells during postnatal development in rat prostate: Immunohistochemical, molecular, and quantitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This work was undertaken to study the prostate neuroendocrine cells (PNEC) during the post-natal development of rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male Wistar rats (pre-pubertals, pubertals, young, and aged adults) were used for immunohistochemistry of chromogranin A (cgA), serotonin (SER), and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5). They were also evaluated for numerical cell density (NV SER) and PNEC number per prostate (N SER). Five additional young adult rats were used for a RT-PCR study (mRNA cgA detection).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weak immunoreactivity to cgA was observed in pubertal rats. No PNEC immunostained to PGP 9.5 was observed. Cells expressing SER were detected in all the groups exclusively located in periurethral ducts. The NV SER increased significantly in pubertal animals. In aged animals, it decreased to levels observed in pre-pubertal rats. The N SER increased significantly from pre-pubertal to young adults, decreasing in aged adults. There was weak production of cgA mRNA, with more expression in the dorsal prostate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PNEC differ in rats when compared to humans: they are weakly immunopositive to cgA, do not express PGP 9.5, only show immunoreactivity to SER, and do not appear in acini. The changes in the amount of rat PNEC during the post-natal development suggest an androgenic influx. PNEC might regulate the contractility of periurethral ducts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Morphology, and Nutritional Sciences, San Pablo University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pozuelo
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Henriques-Gil
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.forename: Riánsares
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arriazu
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santamaría
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012834:Silver; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
chemical_list: D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012701:Serotonin; D012834:Silver; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase