HISTOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES I THE ALBINO RAT PROSTATE GLAND AT DIFFERENT AGES

The present study was carried out to demonstrate the histological and histochemical structure of the prostate gland of albino rats during post-natal life and at the cid ages.
The prostate gland of the newly born rats consisted of solid epithelial cords which were surrounded by undifferentiated mesonchymal tissue.
At the age of 10 days, differentiation of the prostate gland into ventral and dorsolatoral lobe was observed.
The canalization of epithelial cords and the appearance of well defined acini was observed first in the ventral lobe at the age of 10 days and then the dorsolatpral lobo at the age of 15 days. The mesenchy mal tissue is differentiated into loose connective tissue and a thin layer of smooth musclo ribors around the acini.
With advancement of age, more differentiation was detected. The acini were lined with simple columnar to low cuboidal epithelium.
Signs of secratory activity in the prostate gland begin at the age of 10 days in the ventral lobe and at the age of 15 days in the dorsolateral lobe.
The adult prostate showed ástinct differences between the ventral and dorsolateral lobo especially in the mode of secretion. Holocrine and apocrine mode of secretion was observed in the dorsolateral lobe, however, meracrine coe was demonstrated in the ventral lobe.
In old aged rats, signs of decreased synthetic activity and impaired function were observed in both the ventral and the dorsolateral lobe of the prostate gland which may affect reproduction in these animals. Histochemical observations of the prostate gland coincided with the histological changes at the difsranc ages.