Where is the Prostate Gland Located?
The prostate gland is normally about the size It is about the size of a chestnut and somewhat conical in shape, and consists of a base, an apex, an anterior, a posterior and two lateral surfaces (image, below left). It is located in front of the rectum, just below the bladder and it surrounds the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder out through the penis (see image, left). Tucked between the rectum and the bladder, and attached to the prostate, are a pair of glands called the seminal vesicles which provide nutrients for the semen.
The enlarged image shows a close-up of the prostate gland itself and the structures associated with it (the bladder and its connection to the urethra are not shown for clarity). In reality the prostate is a conical gland that entirely surrounds the urethra, which is why an enlargement in the prostate gland is generally accompanied by difficulty with urination.
Where Does the Prostate Gland Do?
Function of the Prostate Gland
The prostate gland is one amongst a class of glands within the body called exocrine glands. Exocrine glands are named because they secrete through ducts to the outside of the body (or into a cavity that communicates with the outside). Salivary glands and sweat glands are other examples of exocrine glands. In fact, the prostate is made up of thousands of tiny, individual, fluid-producing glands.
The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system and surrounds the ejaculatory duct and is located just beneath the bladder. The prostate secretes a liquid that contains a number of enzymes , citric acid and calcium. This fluid is added to the semen during ejaculation and since it is alkaline it is believed to protect the sperm in the hostile acidic environment of the vagina, thus aiding sperm motility and survival.
The prostate also contains a system of complex valves which during ejaculation direct semen into the urethra while a round muscle of the prostate called a sphincter contracts and seals off the bladder during the ejaculatory process to prevents urine from entering the urethra.
The prostate also secretes an enzyme, Pprostate Sspecific Antigen (PSA) that is secreted by the cells lining the prostate into the seminal fluid and is thought to function as an aid to the liquefaction of semen after ejaculation.