Prostate (prostate)
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The prostate gland (prostata, s.glandula prostatica, prostate) is an unpaired musculo-glandular organ. Iron secretes the secret that is part of the sperm. The secret liquefies the sperm, promotes sperm motility .
The prostate gland is located in the anterior part of the small pelvis under the bladder, on the urogenital diaphragm. Through the prostate gland pass the initial section of the urethra, the right and left ejaculatory ducts.
The prostate gland resembles a chestnut, slightly flattened in the anteroposterior direction. The prostate gland distinguishes an upside-down (basis prostatae), which lies at the bottom of the bladder, the seminal vesicles, and the ampulla of the vas deferens. There are also anterior, posterior, lateral surfaces and the tip of the gland.
The front surface (facies anterior) faces the pubic symphysis and is separated from it by loose fiber with a venous plexus lying in it. To the pubic symphysis from the prostate gland are lateral and medial pubic-ligament ligaments (ligg.puboprostaticae) and pubic-prostate muscle (m.puboprostaticus). The posterior surface (facies posterior) is directed towards the ampulla of the rectum and is separated from it by a connective tissue plate - the rectal-vesicle septum (septum rectovesicale). Neighborhood with the rectum allows you to probe the living person's prostate gland through the front wall of the rectum. The inferolateral surface (facies inferolateralis) is rounded and faces the muscle that raises the anus. The apex of the prostate gland (apex prostatae) faces downward and is attached to the urogenital diaphragm. The urethra enters the base of the prostate gland, with most of the gland remaining behind the canal, and exits the gland in the area of its apex. The transverse size of the prostate gland reaches 4 cm, the longitudinal (upper) is 3 cm, anteroposterior (thickness) is about 2 cm. The gland mass is 20-25 g.
The substance of the prostate gland has a dense consistency and a grayish-red color. In the prostate gland, two lobes are distinguished: the right lobe (lobus dexter) and the left lobe (lobus sinister). The border between them is visible on the anterior surface of the gland in the form of a shallow groove. The gland site protruding on the posterior surface of the base and bounded by the urethra in front and the seminal discharge ducts from behind is called the isthmus prostatae, or the median lobus medius. This proportion is often hypertrophied in old age and makes it difficult to urinate.
Structure of the prostate
Outside, the prostate gland is covered with a capsula (capsula prostatica), from which bundles of connective tissue fibers - the septa of the prostate gland - branch off into the gland. Parenchyma (parenchyma) consists of glandular tissue, as well as of smooth muscle tissue, which constitutes a muscle substance (substantia muscularis). The glandular tissue is grouped into separate complexes in the form of glands (lobules) of the alveolar-tubular structure. The amount of glandular lobules reaches 30-40. They are mainly in the posterior and lateral parts of the prostate gland. The anterior part of the prostate gland is small. Directly around the urethra are small mucous glands opening into the urethra. Here the smooth muscle tissue prevails, which concentrates around the lumen of the male urethra. This muscular tissue of the prostate gland combines with the muscular bundles of the bottom of the bladder and is involved in the formation of the internal (involuntary) sphincter of the male urethra. The glandular passages of the glands, merging in pairs, pass into the terminal prostatic ducts (ductuli prostatici), which point openings open into the male urethra in the region of the seed hillock. Reduction of muscle beams facilitates the secretion of the secretion of the prostatic and mucous glands in the urethra.
Vessels and nerves of the prostate
Blood supply of the prostate gland is carried out by numerous small arterial branches extending from the lower colibacillary and middle rectal arteries (from the system of internal iliac arteries). Venous blood from the prostate glands into the venous plexus of the prostate gland, from it into the lower bladder veins that flow into the right and left internal iliac veins. Lymphatic vessels of the prostate flow into the internal iliac lymph nodes.
Nerves of the prostate come from the prostatic plexus, into which sympathetic (from sympathetic trunks) and parasympathetic (from pelvic internal nerves) fibers come from the lower hypogastric plexus.