Prostate
Male Anatomy
The prostate is a gland that is part of a man's sex organs and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder. A healthy prostate is approximately the size of a walnut. The prostate glands are found only in males; females do not possess prostate glands. Skene's glands in females are homologous to the prostate gland in males.
The male urethra has two functions: to carry urine from the bladder during urination and to carry semen during ejaculation. Semen is composed of sperm and seminal fluid produced by the prostate gland.
To work properly, the prostate needs male hormones (androgens). Male hormones are responsible for male sex characteristics. The main male hormone is testosterone, which is produced mainly by the testicles. Some male hormones are produced in small amounts by the adrenal glands.
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Inflammation of the prostate gland is known as prostatitis. If the prostate grows too large it may constrict the urethra and impede the flow of urine, making urination difficult and painful and in extreme cases completely impossible. Prostatitis is often treated in the U.S with prostate massage. Surgery to repair this condition is sometimes necessary.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting elderly men in developed countries.
It is unknown why there is a lower occurance of prostate cancer in men in less developed countries. It is speculated that the developed countries have higher levels of carcinogens in the envronment that lead to the development of prostate cancer. This theory may be correct since men who move from less developed countries to more developed ones have an increased occurance of prostate cancer.
Due to old and limited studies, it was thought that increased levels of sexual activity led to an increased risk of prostate cancer. The results of a much larger study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association seems to suggest the opposite, however. Men who ejaculated (through sexual activity or masturbation) 21 times or more a month had decreased levels of occurance. This was true across all age groups.
See also:
Disorders of the prostate
Diseases
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| Reproductive system |
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Female:
Cervix -
Clitoris -
Fallopian tubes -
Bartholin's glands -
Hymen -
Mammary glands -
Ovaries -
Skene's glands -
Uterus -
Vagina Male: Bulbourethral glands - Ejaculatory duct - Epididymis - Penis - Prostate - Seminal vesicles - testes - Urethra - Vas deferens |