Ductal budding and branching patterns in the developing prostate.

Development of the prostate was studied by serial section reconstruction and computer-assisted three-dimensional analysis. A comparison of ductal budding in species of rat and mouse and the human revealed patterns consistent with common developmental characteristics. Ventral, lateral and dorsal lines of epithelial buds, which emanated from the urogenital sinus into the surrounding periurethral mesenchyme, followed ventro-dorsal and cranio-caudal axes.