Stem cells are believed to regulate normal prostatic homeostasis and to play a role in the etiology of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. We show here that the proximal region of mouse prostatic ducts is enriched in a subpopulation of epithelial cells that exhibit three important attributes of epithelial stem cells: they are slow cycling, possess a high in vitro proliferative potential, and can reconstitute highly branched glandular ductal structures in collagen gels. We propose a model of prostatic homeostasis in which mouse prostatic epithelial stem cells are concentrated in the proximal region of prostatic ducts while the transit-amplifying cells occupy the distal region of the ducts. This model can account for many biological differences between cells of the proximal and distal regions, and has implications for prostatic disease formation.

Study Type – Prognostic (case series) Level of Evidence 4 What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? In general, tumour‐associated macrophage (TAM) is important for tumour progression including prostate cancer. In this paper, we clarified the usefulness of TAM in prostate biopsy specimens for predicting prognosis after hormonal therapy. OBJECTIVE • To evaluate tumour‐associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration in prostate biopsy specimens as a possible prognostic factor for prostate cancer (PCa) after hormonal therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS • Immunostaining of TAMs in prostate biopsy specimens was performed using a monoclonal antibody CD68 for 71 patients having PCa treated with hormonal therapy. • Six microscopic (×400) fields around the cancer foci were selected for TAM counting. RESULTS • The median value of serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) was 50.1 ng/mL, and the median TAM count was 22. • Recurrence‐free survival was significantly better in patients with fewer TAMs (<22) than in those with higher numbers of TAMs (≥22) (P < 0.001). • TAM count was higher in those with higher serum PSA (PSA), higher Gleason score, clinical T stage or those with PSA failure. Cox multivariate analysis showed that TAM count is one of the prognostic factors for PCa treated by hormonal therapy (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION • TAM infiltration in prostate needle biopsy specimens is a useful predictive factor for PSA failure or progression of PCa after hormonal therapy.

Microsurgical technique is safe and may improve SRR for TESE in a variety of patients with NOA, especially patients with heterogeneous testicular tubules.

We concluded that our formula should be useful for doctors considering microdissection testicular sperm extraction for patients with NOA because our equation uses noninvasive parameters without a preoperative testicular biopsy, which is a relatively invasive examination.