Sex steroid-induced changes in collagen of the prostate and seminal vesicle of rats.

The effects of androgen alone or in combination with estrogen or prolactin on the collagen of the prostate and seminal vesicles were studied in prepubertal and adult rats. Castration decreased the collagen content of the male accessory sex organs of both prepubertal and adult rats. Androgens showed stimulatory effects in castrated rats irrespective of the age. However, in intact animals, the stimulatory effects of androgens were evident only before puberty. Only the seminal vesicle of prepubertal rats responded to the stimulatory effect of estrogen given along with androgens. Prolactin did not elicit any appreciable effect either in the prostate or the seminal vesicles when administered along with androgens.