What is the prostate?
The prostate is a gland about the size of a chestnut in the male abdomen that completely surrounds the beginning of the urethra. It is surrounded by a rough capsule (capsula prostatica) and consists of a central part and two lateral lobes. The paired vas deferens (ductus deferens), after uniting with the excretory ducts of the seminal vesicles, runs as the ductus ejaculatorius in the prostate, where it opens into the urethra.
The prostate is divided into three zones:
- Periurethral zone (transition zone): Area around the urethra
- Central zone (“inner gland”): Its growth is stimulated by the female sex hormone estrogen, which is also produced in small amounts in men.
- Peripheral zone (“outer gland”): Their growth is stimulated by male sex hormones (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone).
What is the function of the prostate gland?
During ejaculation, the muscles of the prostate contract and force the fluid through the ducts of the gland into the urethra. At the same time, the secretions produced by the seminal vesicles and the sperm originating from the testicles also enter the urethra.
Where is the prostate gland located?
What problems can the prostate gland cause?
A prostate abscess is caused by a purulent melting of prostate tissue during inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis) or the surrounding tissues (for example, the urethra).
A prostate adenoma is a benign enlargement of the prostate gland (also called benign prostatic hyperplasia) that occurs primarily in older men. The tissue growth can narrow the urethra, causing problems with urination.
Prostate concretions or stones are formed by encrustation of protein bodies in the glandular clearings of the prostate.
