Cytochemical localization of lipid, peroxidase, and carbohydrate substances in the Dunning prostatic adenocarcinoma R3327H: an ultrastructural analysis.

The ultrastructural organization of the cells of the transplantable prostatic adenocarcinoma of the rat, R3327H, has been studied on a cytochemical level. The techniques used were those to localize lipids, peroxidase, and carbohydrate-like substances. This study has clearly shown that there are, in the tumor cells and not in normal prostatic epithelial cells, both lipid compartments with an intense peroxidase membrane. Within the lipid "droplet" we find it to be compartmentalized by conconavalan A-positive material. These observations suggest that this tumor cell may be a "degenerating" or old cell. It may well be that this cancer is a disease of dying cells--the degrading consequence of cell growth.