The rate of skin allografts within the prostate.

There is good evidence demonstrating the absence of lymphatic drainage in the normal glandular prostate. In other organs, such as the brain and anterior chamber of the eye, this property is associated with an impaired response to foreign tissue antigens. We have examined the first set allograft survival of normal skin transplanted between strains of male inbred rats (Lewis leads to Fisher) to various sites including the prostate. The resulting data indicate that the prostate is not an immunologically privileged site when compared to the anterior chamber of the eye. However, prolonged first set allograft survival is seen in the prostate when compared to grafts placed orthotopically. These differences appear to be exaggerated or diminished, depending upon the particular foreign tissue used.