Prostate development and growth in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] in elderly men has intrigued anatomists, pathologists and scientists for centuries. Studies of morbid anatomy, clinical observations and contemporary cellular biology have contributed to an evolving interpretation of the causality of the disease. Insights into the detailed microanatomy and ductal architecture of the prostate during stages of fetal and early postnatal development suggest that mechanisms involved in the early growth period become aberrantly expressed in elderly men. Age, hormones and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are all contributing factors to the pathogenesis of BPH. Control of the microenvironment in normal and abnormal growth is a multifactorial process. Susceptibility to the disease may include clinical comorbid diseases, region-specific changes in cell-cell interactions and a variety of signaling pathways including a novel hypothesis regarding the role of the primary cilium as a regulator of signal transduction mechanisms. Recent work in animal models has shown that there are region-specific differences within the prostate that may be significant because of the dynamic and intricate interplay between the epithelium and mesenchyme. Because of the focal nature of BPH a closer examination of normal morphogenesis patterns, which defines the gland's architecture, may facilitate a detailed understanding of the atypical growth patterns.

Atypical fetal prostate development is associated with ipsilateral hypoplasia of the wolffian ducts in the ACI rat.

For over a half century, the ACI (August x Copenhagen) rat has been a primary model for studying renal agenesis and ipsilateral hypoplasia (IHP) of the Wolffian-derived structures (WDS). Because the ACI rat is also used as a model for prostate research, it is important to examine the relationship of IHP and urogenital sinus (UGS) development. The prostate is dependent on androgens for proper growth and differentiation. Alteration in androgen production and/or delivery to the UGS has the potential to perturbate normal development. In this study, we investigate whether the ipsilateral loss of the WDS is associated with altered prostate development. Digital images of serial-sectioned fetal ACI rat UGS were used to create three-dimensional (3-D) surface-rendered models of the developing prostate, seminal vesicle, vas deferens, and utricle on gestational day 21. The number and volume of prostate ducts developing from the UGS were calculated from the 3-D model data. Animals exhibiting IHP had a significant decrease in total fetal prostate volume (40%; P < 0.005) with significant regional specific differences when compared with normal male ACI rats. Anatomical and histological differences in the utricle, abnormal histology of the ipsilateral testes, and a truncation of the ipsilateral Wolffian ductal mesenchyme were also seen in the animals with IHP. Additional research is needed to further understand the mechanisms and consequences of IHP on prostate growth and development. Alterations to normal prenatal development of the male accessory sex organs can have important consequences for the growth and morphology of the adult gland.