The isolation and identification of exfoliated prostate cells from human semen

A prostatic acid phosphatase localization technique to identify exfoliated prostate cells in human semen is described. Three morphologically distinct types of exfoliated prostate cells were observed in the semen of 14 vasectomized and nonvasectomized men: (1) large, ovoid prostate cells with abundant cytoplasm; (2) small, ovoid prostate cells with little cytoplasm; and (3) columnar prostate cells. These three types of exfoliated prostate cells were also observed within the lumina of prostatic alveoli when stained by this method. Finally, this staining procedure was found to have certain advantages over the conventionally used staining techniques, for it allows the rapid identification of exfoliated prostate cells in human semen and provides a noninvasive technique for monitoring the functional state of the prostate gland.