Immunohistochemical localization of the epidermal growth factor-receptor in rhesus-monkey prostate.

Epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGF-r), a membrane-bound glycoprotein activated by EGF, is important in maintaining the integrity and function of the prostate. To investigate EGF-r presence in the prostate of the rhesus monkey, monoclonal-antibody immunohistochemical examination was performed. The monkey prostate consisted of the cranial and caudal lobes, and the prostatic epithelial cells were composed of the secretory and basal cells. The distribution patterns of EGF-r in the prostatic epithelial cells were quite different between the cranial and caudal lobes. In the caudal lobe, EGF-r was seen in both secretory and basal cells, whereas, in the cranial lobe, the EGF-r was seen exclusively in the basal cells. The stromal cells of both lobes did not show EGF-r. This study revealed that each prostatic lobe contains specific binding sites for EGF, indicating a biological difference between the two lobes of the prostate of the rhesus monkey.