Control of proliferative growth in androgen responsive organs and neoplasms.

Growth of a normal androgen-responsive organ appears to be ordered by the function of three constraint mechanisms which are sensitive to the intranuclear concentration of androgens. For the complete expression of these constraint mechanisms, several properties underlying hormonal responsiveness must be manifest by the cell, including the presence of cytoplasmic receptor, the ability to transfer androgens into the nucleus, the competence to form nuclear receptor, and the fidelity of the interaction between androgens and chromatin. Cytoplasmic receptor alone is not an exclusive indication of hormonal dependence in vivo, but its presence is associated with enhanced ability of the cell to incoropate androgens into the nucleus. Androgens are required for the initiation of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation, and nuclear receptor may not be required for these responses. On the other hand, it is possible that the function of the latter molecule is concerned with negative feedback or cellular autolysis.