Comparative characterization of the canine normal prostate in intact and castrated animals.
BACKGROUND
Prostate diseases in the dog are generally regarded as representative for their human counterparts. We characterized the normal canine prostate in comparison to the normal human prostate.


METHODS
Prostates of dogs were examined histomorphologically and by immunohistochemical detection of the markers CK14, HMWCK, CK5, CK18, CK7, UPIII, PSA, and PSMA.


RESULTS
Histomorphologically, the canine prostate lacks the human zonal differentiation, has much more prominent acini, while comprising less stromal tissue. In general, the canine prostate epithelium displayed a highly differentiated character, with no cells expressing CK14, minimal amounts of cells expressing HMWCK/CK5 and the vast majority of cells expressing CK18 and PSA. After castration, the prostate epithelium regressed, and the remaining tubules were largely populated by cells showing a ductal phenotype (HMWCK+/CK5+/CK18+/CK7+).


CONCLUSIONS
The human and canine prostate are histologically differently organized. The general scheme of cellular differentiation of the prostate epithelium may however be applicable to both species.
Lai
Chen-Li
CL
Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
van den Ham
René
R
van Leenders
Geert
G
van der Lugt
Jaco
J
Teske
Erik
E
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004285:Dogs; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053555:Keratin-5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053552:Keratin-7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010641:Phenotype; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D053538:Keratin-18; D053555:Keratin-5; D053552:Keratin-7; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen