prostate gland

prostate gland,

gland that is part of the male reproductive systemreproductive system,
in animals, the anatomical organs concerned with production of offspring. In humans and other mammals the female reproductive system produces the female reproductive cells (the eggs, or ova) and contains an organ in which development of the fetus takes
..... Click the link for more information. . It is an organ about the size of a chestnut and consists of glandular and muscular tissue. It is situated below the neck of the bladder, encircling the urethra. The prostate produces a thin, milky, alkaline fluid that is secreted into the urethra at the time of emission of semen, providing an added medium for the life and motility of sperm. It is probable that prostatic fluid enhances fertility since the fluid flowing from the testes and seminal vesicles is acidic and sperm are not optimally mobile unless their medium is relatively alkaline.

In men over 50 enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy) is common. Sometimes the result is pressure on the urethra and bladder, which interferes with urination, precipitating urinary retention and kidney disease. Balloon dilatation of the urethra and medication with alpha blockers, finasteride (Proscar), and saw palmetto extract (an herbal supplement) have joined traditional surgical removal of the prostate (prostatectomy) as therapies. See also prostate cancerprostate cancer,
cancer originating in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is one of the most malignancies in men in the United States, second only to skin cancer, and as a cause of cancer death in men is second only to lung cancer.
..... Click the link for more information. , prostatitisprostatitis
, inflammation of the prostate gland. Acute prostatitis is usually a result of infection in the urinary tract or infection carried by the blood; in many cases the infection spreads from the urethra and is contracted through sexual transmission.
..... Click the link for more information. .

Bibliography

See J. P. Blandy and B. Lytton, The Prostate (1986).

Prostate gland

A triangular body in men, the size and shape of a chestnut, that lies immediately in front of the bladder with its apex directed down and forward. It is found only in the male, having no female counterpart. The prostatic portion of the urethra extends through it, passing from the bladder to the penis. This organ contains 15–20 branched, tubular glands which form lobules. The gland ducts open into the urethra. Between the gland clusters, or alveoli, there is a dense, fibrous, connecting tissue, the stroma, which also forms a tough capsule around the gland, continuous with the bladder wall. Penetrating the prostate to empty into the urethra are the ejac-ulatory ducts from the seminal vesicles which are located above and behind the organ (see illustration). The prostatic gland secretes a viscid, alkaline fluid which aids in sperm motility and in neutralizing the acidity of the vagina, thus enhancing fertilization. After middle age, the prostate is sometimes subject to new tissue growth, usually benign, that may result in interference with urine flow through the compressed urethra.

Prostate gland and seminal vesicles

Prostate Gland

an unpaired gland of the male sexual apparatus. It is located in the pelvis, between the fundus of the urinary bladder and the ampulla of the rectum; it closely surrounds the neck of the bladder and the posterior section of the urinary canal. The length of the prostate gland is 4–4.5 cm., width 2–3.5 cm., thickness 1.7–2.5 cm., and weight 17–28 g.

The prostate gland is formed of 30 to 50 separate lobules, or glandules, of various size that lie in a dense connective-tissue base with a large number of smooth muscle fibers. The excretory ducts of the prostate empty into the prostatic portion of the urinary canal. Blood is supplied through the inferior vesical and middle rectal arteries; venous efflux is into the system of the internal iliac vein. The lymphatic vessels go to the lymph nodes of the pelvis. The prostate gland is innervated by the iliac nerve. The secretion of the prostate gland plays an important role in ensuring the viability of spermatozoa in the seminal fluid by the liquefaction of semen and the increase in its volume. The most common diseases of the prostate are prostatitis, tumors (such as adenoma), and stones.

Prostate gland

gland

[gland] an aggregation of cells specialized to secrete or excrete materials not related to their ordinary metabolic needs. Glands are divided into two main groups, endocrine and exocrine. adj., adj glan´dular.
The endocrine glands, or ductless glands, discharge their secretions (hormones) directly into the blood; they include the adrenal, pituitary, thyroid, and parathyroid glands, the islands of Langerhans in the pancreas, the gonads, the thymus, and the pineal body. The glands" >exocrine glands discharge through ducts opening on an external or internal surface of the body; they include the salivary, sebaceous, and sweat glands, the liver, the gastric glands, the pancreas, the intestinal, mammary, and lacrimal glands, and the prostate. The lymph nodes" >lymph nodes are sometimes called lymph glands but are not glands in the usual sense.

Classification of glands according to mode of secretion. From Applegate, 2000.acinous gland one made up of one or more acini" >acini (oval or spherical sacs).adrenal gland see adrenal gland.apocrine gland one whose discharged secretion contains part of the secreting cells.areolar g's Montgomery's glands.axillary g's lymph nodes in the axilla.Bartholin g's two small mucus-secreting glands, one on each side in the lower pole of the labium majus and connected to the surface by a duct lined with transitional cells, which opens just external to the hymenal ring. Their exact function is not clear but they are believed to secrete mucus to moisten the vestibule during sexual excitement. Called also major vestibular glands.Bowman's g's olfactory glands.bronchial g's seromucous glands in the mucosa and submucosa of the bronchial walls.Brunner's g's glands in the submucosa of the duodenum that secrete intestinal juice; called also duodenal glands.buccal g's seromucous glands on the inner surface of the cheeks; called also genal glands.bulbocavernous g's (bulbourethral g's) two glands embedded in the substance of the sphincter of the male urethra, posterior to the membranous part of the urethra; their secretion lubricates the urethra; called also Cowper's glands.cardiac g's mucus-secreting glands of the cardiac part (cardia) of the stomach.celiac g's lymph nodes anterior to the abdominal aorta.ceruminous g's cerumin-secreting glands in the skin of the external auditory canal.cervical g's 1. the lymph nodes of the neck.2. compound clefts in the wall of the uterine cervix.ciliary g's sweat glands that have become arrested in their development, situated at the edges of the eyelids; called also Moll's glands.circumanal g's specialized sweat and sebaceous glands around the anus; called also Gay's glands.Cobelli's g's mucous glands in the esophageal mucosa just above the cardia.coccygeal gland glomus coccygeum.compound gland one made up of a number of smaller units whose excretory ducts combine to form ducts of progressively higher order.Cowper's g's bulbourethral glands.ductless g's endocrine glands.duodenal g's Brunner's glands.Ebner's g's serous glands at the back of the tongue near the taste buds.eccrine gland one of the ordinary or simple sweat glands, which are of the merocrine type.endocrine g's see endocrine glands.exocrine g's glands that discharge their secretions through ducts opening on internal or external surfaces of the body; see gland" >gland.fundic g's (fundus g's) numerous tubular glands in the mucosa of the fundus and body of the stomach that contain the cells that produce acid and pepsin.gastric g's the secreting glands of the stomach, including the fundic, cardiac, and pyloric glands.Gay's g's circumanal glands.genal g's buccal glands.glossopalatine g's mucous glands at the posterior end of the smaller sublingual glands.haversian g's synovial villi.holocrine gland one whose discharged secretion contains the entire secreting cells.intestinal g's straight tubular glands in the mucous membrane of the intestines, in the small intestine opening between the bases of the villi, and containing argentaffin cells. Called also crypts or glands of Lieberkühn.jugular gland a lymph node behind the clavicular insertion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.Krause's gland an accessory lacrimal gland deep in the conjunctival connective tissue, mainly near the upper fornix.lacrimal g's the glands that secrete tears; see also lacrimal apparatus.g's of Lieberkühn intestinal glands.lingual g's the seromucous glands on the surface of the tongue.lingual g's, anterior seromucous glands near the apex of the tongue.Littre's g's 1. preputial glands.2. the male urethral glands.lymph gland lymph node.major vestibular g's Bartholin glands.mammary gland a specialized gland of the skin of female mammals, which secretes milk for the nourishment of their young; it exists in a rudimentary state in the male. See also breast.meibomian g's sebaceous follicles between the cartilage and conjunctiva of the eyelids. Called also tarsal glands.merocrine gland one whose discharged secretion contains no part of the secreting cells.mixed g's 1. seromucous glands.2. glands that have both exocrine and endocrine portions.Moll's g's ciliary glands.Montgomery's g's sebaceous glands in the mammary areola; called also areolar glands.mucous g's glands that secrete mucus.olfactory g's small mucous glands in the olfactory mucosa; called also Bowman's glands.parathyroid g's see parathyroid glands.parotid g's see parotid glands.peptic g's gastric glands that secrete pepsin.pineal gland pineal body.pituitary gland see pituitary gland.preputial g's small sebaceous glands of the corona of the penis and the inner surface of the prepuce, which secrete smegma; called also Littre's glands and Tyson's glands.prostate gland prostate.pyloric g's the mucin-secreting glands of the pyloric part of the stomach.salivary g's see salivary glands.sebaceous gland a type of holocrine gland of the corium that secretes an oily material (sebum) into the hair follicles.

Glands: The relationship of the hair follicle, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands and sebaceous glands. From Copstead, 1995.sentinel gland an enlarged lymph node, considered to be pathognomonic of some pathologic condition elsewhere.seromucous g's glands that are both serous and mucous.serous gland a gland that secretes a watery albuminous material, commonly but not always containing enzymes.sex gland (sexual gland) gonad.simple gland one with a nonbranching duct.Skene's g's the largest of the female urethral glands, which open into the urethral orifice; they are regarded as homologous with the prostate. Called also paraurethral ducts.solitary g's solitary follicles.sublingual gland a salivary gland on either side under the tongue.submandibular gland (submaxillary gland) a salivary gland on the inner side of each ramus of the mandible.sudoriferous gland (sudoriparous gland) sweat gland.suprarenal gland adrenal gland.sweat gland see sweat gland.target gland any gland affected by a secretion or other stimulus from another gland, such as those affected by the secretions of the pituitary gland.tarsal g's meibomian glands.thymus gland thymus.thyroid gland see thyroid gland.tubular gland any gland made up of or containing a tubule or tubules.Tyson's g's preputial glands.unicellular gland a single cell that functions as a gland, e.g., a goblet cell.urethral g's mucous glands in the wall of the urethra; in the male, called also Littre's glands.uterine g's simple tubular glands found throughout the thickness and extent of the endometrium; they become enlarged during the premenstrual period.vesical g's mucous glands sometimes found in the wall of the urinary bladder, especially in the area of the trigone.vulvovaginal g's Bartholin's glands.Waldeyer's g's glands in the attached edge of the eyelid.Weber's g's the tubular mucous glands of the tongue.

pros·tate

(pros'tāt), [TA] Do not confuse this word with prostrate.A chestnut-shaped body, surrounding the beginning of the urethra in the male, which consists of two lateral lobes connected anteriorly by an isthmus and posteriorly by a middle lobe lying above and between the ejaculatory ducts. Structurally, the prostate consists of 30-50 compound tubuloalveolar glands among which is abundant stroma consisting of collagen and elastic fibers and many smooth muscle bundles. The secretion of the glands is a milky fluid that is discharged by excretory ducts into the prostatic urethra at the time of the emission of semen. Synonym(s): prostata [TA], glandula prostatica, prostate gland

prostate gland

n. A gland in male mammals surrounding the urethra at the base of the bladder that controls release of urine from the bladder and secretes a fluid which is a major constituent of semen.

pros·tate

(pros'tāt) [TA] A chestnut-shaped body, surrounding the beginning of the urethra in the male, which consists of two lateral lobes connected anteriorly by an isthmus and posteriorly by a middle lobe lying above and between the ejaculatory ducts. In structure, the prostate consists of 3-50 compound tubuloalveolar glands between which are abundant stroma consisting of collagen and elastic fibers and many smooth muscle bundles. The secretion of the glands is a milky fluid that is discharged by excretory ducts into the prostatic urethra at the time of the emission of semen. usage note Often mispronounced as prostrate, and so misspelled.
Synonym(s): prostata [TA] , prostate gland.

prostate gland

A solid, chestnut-like organ situated under the bladder surrounding the first part of the urine tube (urethra) in the male. The prostate gland secretes part of the seminal fluid.

prostate

prostate gland

a gland of male animals that produces substances which are added to the semen. ANDROGENS affect the size and secretion of the prostate gland, whose exact function is unknown.
the gland associated with the male reproductive system in ANNELIDS and CEPHALOPODS.

Prostate gland

The gland surrounding the male urethra just below the base of the bladder. It secretes a fluid that constitutes a major portion of the semen.Mentioned in: Acid Phosphatase Test, Anabolic Steroid Use, Bladder Stones, Prostatectomy

pros·tate

(pros'tāt) [TA] A chestnut-shaped body, surrounding the beginning of the urethra in the male. The secretion of the glands is a milky fluid that is discharged by excretory ducts into the prostatic urethra at the time of the emission of semen. usage note Often mispronounced as prostrate, and so misspelled.

prostate gland

prostate gland

pros′tate gland`

pros·tate gland

prostate gland

prostate gland

prostate gland,

Bibliography

Prostate gland

Prostate Gland

Prostate gland

gland

pros·tate

prostate gland

pros·tate

prostate gland

prostate

prostate gland

Prostate gland

pros·tate

prostate gland

Synonyms for prostate gland

noun a firm partly muscular chestnut sized gland in males at the neck of the urethra

Synonyms

Related Words