Nuclear bodies in human autopsy prostate with special reference to appearance rate

Nuclear bodies were observed in the nuclei of human prostatic epithelial cells at 2 to 3 hours post mortem. Although the epithelial cells of the autopsy cases revealed autolytic necrosis, the general feature of nuclear bodies were almost similar to those of fresh biopsied prostatic tissue. The nuclear body appearance rate was statistically analyzed in both secretory epithelial and basal cells of 3 different cellular condition areas (the hyperplastic nodule, non-nodule and atrophic). It was significantly high in the secretory epithelium of the hyperplastic nodule, but not in the other 2 areas. There was no significant result in the basal cells. The nuclear body appearance rate was statistically compared with that of human fresh biopsy cases previously reported by us (Furusato et al. 1986). The nuclear body appearance rates obtained in these 2 groups were not statistically different in each cell type and in 3 areas. The result suggests that the nuclear body appearance rate is reliable at 2 to 3 hours post mortem.