CELLULAR BIOLOGY OF PROSTATIC GROWTH-FACTORS

The etiology of prostate cancer or of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BP H) is essentially not understood. It is becoming clear, however, that major determinants of the malignant or hyperplastic phenotype are vari ous growth-stimulatory or -inhibitory factors and their receptors, who se inappropriate expression or loss disrupts normal regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Cell culture has been a versatile tool for studying the expression and interaction of growth factors in prostatic cells. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization have p rovided a view of growth factor expression coupled with histopathology . The eventual definition of autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine pathw ays of growth regulation in the human prostate will facilitate the des ign of new preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies. (C) 1 996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.