TENASCIN EXPRESSION AND POSTNATAL-DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN PROSTATE

We investigated the distribution of tenascin during postnatal developm ent of the human prostate. Monoclonal antibody specific to human tenas cin was applied to paraffin sections by the avidin-biotin-complex meth od to examine its localization. Infantile prostates showed two distinc t zones. The inner zone had sparse acini with fibromuscular bundles. T he peripheral zone had similar acini and lighter stroma as compared wi th inner zone. Tenascin was found diffusely but weakly. The periglandu lar area occasionally showed immunoreactivity. The prostates from 9- t o 13-year-old subjects had a morphology similar to that of the infanti le gland. The difference was increased density of the acini. Immunorea ctivity was low. In the prostates from 14- to 21-year-old subjects, th e acini distribution was more crowded, and the epithelial lining had b ecome taller in both zones. Tenascin distributed preferentially in the peripheral zone during this period. Simultaneously, the percent of gl andular area in the peripheral zone rose abruptly. The dynamics of ten ascin expression are closely associated with the development and matur ation of the gland. The distribution of tenascin during the post-puber al period may suggest its participation in the preferential occurrence of prostatic carcinoma in the peripheral zone.