The Testes and the Prostate

The development of prostatic hyperplasia is an almost universal feature of aging men and dogs, and in both species the condition is a major cause of morbidity. Since prostatic hyperplasia does not develop in men (or dogs) castrated before puberty, the action of sex hormones appears to be critical for the development of the disorder, even though the role of hormones may be permissive rather than causal. As a result of studies of plasma hormone levels as a function of age in both species, measurements of the concentration of androgen and of androgen-receptor proteins within canine and human prostates, and…