AGE-RELATED DISTRIBUTION OF ENDOCRINE-CELLS IN THE HUMAN PROSTATE - AQUANTITATIVE STUDY

A morphometric analysis was performed to obtain quantitative data on a ge-related changes in prostatic endocrine cell (PrEC) density. Sixty p rostates from subjects aged 14-74 years were studied with a semi-autom atic image analysis system (ASM 68K, Leitz) applied to sections immuno stained for chromogranin A-reactive cells. The highest density of PrEC s (0.366 cells/mm of epithelial length) was found in the 25-54 year ag e group, which was significantly different from that found in prostate s of the younger (0.311 cells/mm) and the older (0.261 cells/mm) age g roups. The data probably reflect the higher incidence of incompletely developed glandular units in the younger group and the formation of ne w alveoli related to the usual glandular hyperplasia that occurs with increasing age in the older group.