The effect of @entity342 deprivation on branching morphogenesis in the XXXX prostate.

@entity19 @entity3800 @entity3455 @entity342
@entity342 -induced prostatic development encompasses many individual processes such as ductal branching morphogenesis, cellular proliferation, and secretory cytodifferentiation. Previous studies of ductal morphogenesis (Y. Sugimura, G.R. Cunha, and A.A. Donjacour, 1986, Biol. Reprod. 34, 961-971) demonstrated that the majority (approximately 70%) of ductal @entity3455 and branchpoints in the @entity19 prostate is generated before 15 days of age. Since circulating @entity342 levels are low during this neonatal period, it is possible that ductal branching morphogenesis may not require the continuous presence of @entity3800 . To test this hypothesis @entity19 were castrated within 24 hr of birth, and prostates from these @entity19 were microdissected at various ages from 5 to 120 days of age to assess the number of ductal @entity3455 and branchpoints; wet weight and DNA content were also determined. In intact males wet weight and DNA content increased rapidly between 15 and 60 days of age, after most of the prostatic ductal architecture had been laid down. Neonatal castration considerably reduced the number of @entity3455 and branchpoints in both the ventral and dorsolateral prostate, yet both lobes still underwent significant branching morphogenesis in the absence of testes. The administration of anti- @entity3800 to neonatal castrates did not suppress ductal branching to any greater extent than did neonatal castration alone. @entity342 replacement immediately following neonatal castration resulted in precocious attainment of the adult number of @entity3455 and branchpoints, but caused only modest increases in wet weight. In contrast, when @entity342 replacement was delayed until adulthood, prostatic wet weight increased to normal adult levels, but the number of ductal @entity3455 and branchpoints did not. These experiments show that neonatal prostatic ductal morphogenesis is sensitive to, but does not require, chronic @entity342 stimulation.
