Establishment of primary cell cultures from normal and neoplastic human prostate gland tissue

Explants of embryonic, normal adult, and tumor-containing prostate gland tissue in culture produced outgrowths of cells having an "epithelial" appearance. The fetal cells exhibited by far the highest potential for growth in vitro. Growth of prostate gland adult cells did not appear to depend on the age of the donor. Ultrastructural characteristics of cells from normal human prostates differed from cells derived from adenomatous prostate glands, which had many cytoplasmic characteristics similar to those described in solid tissues. These studies suggest that the characteristics of prostate gland cells in explant primary culture are similar to those in the parent tissues.