ABSTRACT
It has been assumed for a long time that the action of androgens on the prostate epithelial cells was direct. Circulating testosterone would be transformed in the epithelial cells to dihydroxytestosterone by the enzyme steroid 5α-reductase. The dihydroxytestosterone would then bind to androgen receptors in the cells, promote translocation into the nucleus, binding to DNA and initiation of RNA transcription. The gene products so activated would stimulate cell proliferation and survival.
