ELASTIC SYSTEM OF THE RAT VENTRAL PROSTATE AND ITS MODIFICATIONS FOLLOWING ORCHIECTOMY

BACKGROUND. The extracellular matrix (ECM) has important roles in pros tatic development, and marked stromal changes take place in the rat ve ntral prostate (VP) after androgen deprivation. However, little knowle dge exists about individual ECM components. METHODS. The distribution of elastic fibers (EF) and elastic-related fibers (ERF) in the VP of c astrated and control rats was investigated, using histochemistry and t ransmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS. EF are barely detected in the prostatic stroma, but ERF are relatively abundant. Castration results in a relative increase in the number and thickness of ERF. TEM showed an open network of ECM microfibrils throughout the stroma and thin and short EF, which increase in number and thickness after orchie ctomy. CONCLUSIONS. The presence of elastic system components in the r at VP warrants the deformability required for the secretion exclusion under the action of smooth muscle cells, and the castration-induced mo dification may be related to the contraction of the tissue and mainten ance of peculiar arrangements of other ECM components. (C) 1997 Wiley- Liss, Inc.