[Induction of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the urogenital sinus by a brief treatment with androgens].

We have investigated the induction of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the urogenital sinus of fetal mice when the sinuses were cultured with testosterone. Immunofluorescence study revealed that almost no EGF is detectable in the pre-incubated sinuses, whereas EGF is induced in the sinus mesenchyme as early as 2 hours after the testosterone treatment. The results support the hypothesis that paracrine-like factors secreted from the sinus mesenchyme activated by androgens may be EGF or EGF-like growth factors that stimulate the sinus epithelium to induce prostatic buds.