[Ultrastructural and enzyme-histochemical alterations of the dog prostate following castration (author's transl)]

Orchiectomy leads to morphologic and functional alterations of the prostate in dogs within 120 days. The glandular epithelium of the acini under the light microscope shows an advanced atrophy with some remaining slit-like lumina. Ultrastructurally, castration results in loss of cell polarity with preserved epithelial compounds. The columnar epithelium is transformed into small polygonal cells with regressive alterations of nucleus, rough endoplasmatic reticulum, mitochondria and Golgi apparatus. These cells show depositions of lipoids and glycogen. Functionally, gonadectomy results in a loss of secretory activity correspondingly secretory granules that are normally present in large numbers are conspicuously absent, the reduction of rough endoplasmatic reticulum and Golgi apparatus too are expressions of the cessation of synthesis of secretion. This is also indicated by the activity of acid phosphatase that is barely demonstrable in the apical portion of the cytoplasm of atrophic glandular epithelium following castration. Only insignificant changes on the other hand are found in the activity of alkaline phosphatase following withdrawal of androgens, this enzyme does not mirror the atrophy due to castration.