Morphology of rat prostatic lobes and seminal vesicles after long-term estrogen treatment.

The growth of the prostatic lobes and seminal vesicles of castrated rats was studied morphologically after long-term treatment with estradiol benzoate. Estradiol promoted slightly the growth of the prostatic lobes but more markedly the seminal vesicles, although it had catabolic effects as reflected in low body and levator ani weights. Histologically there was proliferation of the fibromuscular stroma. In the coagulating glands and seminal vesicles there was squamous metaplasia of the epithelium. The histological study also revealed features of special interest, i.e. mucoid epithelium of the coagulating glands. Electron-microscopical and histochemical studies of the mucoid epithelium showed that it had similar characteristics as goblet cells of the intestine of the rat.