Electron Microscopic Analysis of Stem Cells in Human Prostate Cancer, Including Inverted Capsule Embedding Methods...

Identification of prostatic stem cells in primary prostate tissue sections, organ cultures of prostate and cell lines requires a range of techniques that allows characterization of stem cells for their potential use in the treatment of patients. Isolated cells usually round-up and develop changes in shape, size and cellular characteristics. The aim of this study was to provide a range of methods for identifying prostatic stem cells and characterizing them with regard to ultrastructure, nuclear morphology, cytoplasmic organelles, and/or expression stem cell marker CD133.

Prostate biopsy and prostatectomy specimens were used for studying prostatic stem cells and their known marker CD133 in tissue sections by light and/or electron microscopy. Inverted capsule embedding was used to study archival metastatic prostate in pelvic nodes and Du145 cell line in a monolayer culture.

Staining for CD133 positively identified stem cells that were found in benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostate, and prostate cancer cells. Paraffin embedded sections showed a single type of stem cells, whereas methylene blue-stained Epon sections showed both light and dark stem cells. Electron microscopy showed that both basal and stem cells were closely associated with the basement membrane (basal lamina). Stem cells had smooth plasma and nuclear membranes, a prominent nucleolus, small mitochondria, and few ribosomes. Du145 cells were separated by intercellular spaces in monolayer culture.

The inverted capsule embedding method allowed the study of metastasized prostate cancer in pelvic lymph nodes. Our approach enabled the assessment of stem cells in tissue sections by light and electron microscopy.