Negative controls of cell proliferation: human prostate cancer cells and androgens.

LNCaP cells represent a useful tool to explore the mechanism of sex hormone action on cell proliferation in an "in culture-in animal" model. Results indicated that: (a) these cells were inhibited from proliferating for extended periods (up to 30 days) when placed in charcoal-dextran-stripped sera; they remained, however, viable because they proliferated when sex hormones were added to this medium; (b) the inhibitory effect of sera was reversed...