Numbers and heterogeneity of mast cells in the male genital tract of the rat.

Normal adult rats were used to quantitate and characterize mast cells in the male genital tract. The tissues were either fixed in a fixative containing formalin (Schaffer solution) or with basic lead acetate (BLA) to identify 'connective-tissue mast cells' and 'mucosal mast cells', respectively. In the epididymis and seminal vesicle small numbers of mast cells were identified without any obvious heterogeneity. In the prostate, however, a mean of 45.1 +/- 9.3 and 23.0 +/- 4.0 mast cells/mm2 was found after BLA and Schaffer fixation, respectively. This difference might be of functional and clinical significance.