In vitro deregulation of markers characteristic of human prostate epithelial cells

We have screened primary cultures of human prostate for the expression of markers reported to be characteristic of specific cell lineages in vivo, in order to ascertain whether human prostate cells in vitro maintain and reflect their in vivo differentiated phenotypes and to evaluate the homogeneity of the populations of cells that can be derived from this tissue. Using single and dual stain immunofluorescent microscopy to analyse very early organoid and subsequently derived monolayer stage cultures, we have observed that expression of markers characteristic of human prostate epithelial cells in vivo is deregulated within 48h, indicating that dissociation of human prostate tissue and cultivation of prostate epithelial cells in culture can result in promiscuous expression of cell type specific markers of prostate epithelial cells. These observations have important implications for studies of cell lineage and differentiation of prostate cells in vitro.