Effect of testosterone on long-term organ cultures of canine prostate.

Organ cultures of rodent and human prostate glands have shown marked differences in their morphological response to testosterone. In this study, explants from 19 canine prostate glands were cultivated for a minimum of 9 days in Trowell's T-8 medium. Groups of explants were exposed to media containing from 0.05 to 100 mum testosterone. While the higher testosterone levels (50 and 100 mum) markedly decreased explant viability, explants cultivated at lower levels (0.05 to 5 mum) appeared similar to control explants in testosterone-free Trowell's T-8 medium. Atmospheric mixtures containing either 95% or 50% oxygen were equally effective. Shortly after the cultures were initiated, large amounts of secretory product were liberated into the lumen. After 9 or more days in vitro, glandular epithelium appeared cuboidal and never revealed the acid phosphatase-rich secretory granules seen in the preculture control. However, the epithelium exhibited an increase in alkaline phosphatase and lipid content following cultivation.