Prostate Gland

Question 1

What is the prostate gland?

Answer 1

• 3cm gland
• located inferior to neck of bladder

Actions:

• secretes prostate fluid (contributes 30-50% to the composition of seminal fluid)
• contractions of prostate gland propel seminal fluid into urethra during ejaculation

Question 2

What are the 2 actions of the prostate gland?

Answer 2

• secretes prostatic fluid (contributes 30-50% to the composition of seminal fluid)
• contractions of prostate gland propel seminal fluid into urethra during ejaculation

Question 3

What is the structure of the prostate gland?

Answer 3

Surfaces:

• base: near neck of bladder
• apex: near urethral sphincter
• anterior: separated from pubic symphysis by retropubic fat
• posterior: near rectum
• inferolateral: near levator ani muscle of pelvic diaphragm

Zones:

• transition (surrounds prostatic urethra)
• central (base, surrounds ejaculatory ducts)
• peripheral (bulk of gland)
• anterior fibromuscular

Composition:
- contains 20-30 tubuloalveolar glands embedded in a stroma (supporting network of smooth muscle and dense connective tissue)

2 layers:

• true capsule (internal dense fibrous capsule)
• false capsule (external prostatic sheath)

Question 4

What are the 4 zones of the prostate gland?

Answer 4

1. Transition:
   - surrounds prostatic urethra
   - 5% glandular tissue
2. Central:
   - base of prostate
   - surrounds ejaculatory ducts (formed by union of vas deferens and ducts of seminal glands)
   - 20% glandular tissue
3. Peripheral:
   - makes up bulk of gland
4. Anterior fibromuscular;
   - no glandular tissue

Question 5

What is the nervous supply of the prostate gland?

Answer 5

SNS: T12-L2
PNS: pelvic splanchnic (S2-4)
visceral afferents

Question 6

What is the arterial and venous supply of the prostate gland?

Answer 6

Arterial:
- prostatic artery (from internal iliac)

Venous:

• prostatic venous plexus (a network of veins around the prostate, between the fibrous capsule and the prostatic sheath)
• drains into internal iliac veins

Question 7

What are the histological layers of the prostate gland?

Answer 7

Tubuloalveolar glands:

• 20-30 in prostate gland
• created by folds of glandular epithelium
• produce prostatic fluid

Supporting stroma:

• smooth muscle fibres (have alpha 1 adrenergic receptors that respond to SNS stimulation)
• prostatic interstitial cells / PICs (regulate resting tone of smooth muscle
• fibrous connective tissue

Question 8

What are PICs?

Answer 8

• prostatic interstitial cells
• located in stroma of prostate gland
• regulate resting tone of smooth muscle

Question 9

What is the lymphatic drainage of the prostate gland?

Answer 9

• internal iliac and sacral nodes