Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in older men that involves the enlargement of the prostate gland. This occurs in response to signal transduction initiated by alpha-adrenergic receptors (alpha-ARs). When bound to ligands, alpha-ARs stimulate the mitogenic extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK) pathway, ultimately promoting stromal and epithelial cell hyperplasia in the prostate. Current knowledge of how alpha-ARs promote prostate cell growth remains incomplete, and despite decades of research, there is no cure for BPH. In this study, we aimed to exploit an in vitro model system of BPH in order to better understand the mechanisms of alpha-AR signaling in prostatic hyperplasia. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.