摘要: Prostate cancer is the most common male in United States. Research on mechanisms of prostate progression has been limited by lack suitable vitro systems. A hurdle understanding molecular genetic changes difficulty establishing premalignant lesions and primary tumors as cell cultures. Primary epithelial cells grow for a finite life span then senesce. Immortalization defined continuous growth otherwise senescing believed to represent an early stage tumor progression. To examine these stages, we others have developed models immortalization. Methods are described processing human biopsy samples generation (HPE) serum-free conditions. Retrovirus containing telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) used immortalization HPE cells, methods characterization lines discussed. These culture useful study normal stem critical defining testing preventive therapeutic regimens.