Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Prostate. 2012 Feb;72(3):326-37. doi: 10.1002/pros.21437. Epub 2011 Jun 10.
Neuroendocrine (NE) cells are frequently present in the human prostate and urethra, whereas they are lacking in the other urogenital organs. This study was undertaken as there are only few detailed studies available on the distribution, form and function of NE cells and the structure of excretory ducts of the accessory sex organs in the male rat.
Systematic gross anatomical dissections were combined with immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies of the excretory ducts of the urogenital glands in male rats, with particular focus on the distribution and ultrastructure of the NE cells.
The topography and structure of the excretory ducts of the different glands were characterized in detail and analyzed for the distribution of NE cells. These are present (in falling frequencies) in the ducts of seminal vesicles and ventral and lateral prostate and are rare in ducts of coagulating gland, dorsal prostate, urethral epithelium, and excretory ducts of the (bulbo) urethral glands. They are absent in the respective glands proper, the deferent duct and ejaculatory ampulla. Approximately 40% of the NE cells of the ventral prostate ducts are of the "open" type, whereas these are less frequent (14%) in the seminal vesicle ducts, where the "closed" type prevails.
NE cells are present in unequal quantities in the excretory ducts of the accessory sex glands, but they are absent in the glands proper and the deferent ducts. This distribution pattern points to a strictly localized function and differentiation potency of NE precursor cells.
神经内分泌（NE）细胞经常存在于人类前列腺和尿道中，而在其他泌尿生殖器官中则不存在。由于目前仅有少数详细研究涉及雄性大鼠附属生殖器官的外分泌导管中 NE 细胞的分布、形态和功能以及结构，因此进行了这项研究。
系统的大体解剖学解剖与雄性大鼠泌尿生殖腺外分泌导管的免疫组织化学和电子显微镜研究相结合，特别关注 NE 细胞的分布和超微结构。
详细描述了不同腺体的外分泌导管的解剖结构，并分析了 NE 细胞的分布。这些 NE 细胞（频率逐渐降低）存在于精囊、腹侧和侧前列腺的导管中，在凝固腺、背侧前列腺、尿道上皮和（球）尿道附属腺的导管中很少见。它们不存在于相应的腺体、输精管和射精管中。腹侧前列腺导管中的大约 40%的 NE 细胞为“开放”型，而精囊导管中的“开放”型则较少（14%），“封闭”型更为常见。
NE 细胞在附属生殖腺的外分泌导管中存在不等量，但在腺体本身和输精管中不存在。这种分布模式表明 NE 前体细胞具有严格的局部功能和分化潜力。
