What Is the Prostate Gland?
Found only in males, the prostate gland is an important part of the male reproductive system.
Without the prostate gland and the fluid it produces, sperm would not function properly.
Though not necessary for survival, the prostate gland is essential for reproduction. Issues with the prostate gland or the prostatic fluid, which makes up a part of semen, can lead to male infertility. (1)
Despite its importance, the prostate gland in an adult man is only about the size and shape of a walnut and weighs less than 1 ounce (20 to 30 grams).
It is located below the bladder, above the pelvic floor muscles, and in front of the rectum.
The prostate reaches its mature size during puberty and will keep its walnut size until the man is in his late forties or early fifties. (2) After this age, it slowly begins to enlarge.
The prostate, which surrounds the urethra, is made up of glandular, stromal (supportive) tissue, and smooth muscles fused within a capsule. (3)
Though the prostate gland is often referenced as a singular entity, it is actually made up of a number of tubular or saclike glands that secrete fluids into the urethra through the ejaculatory ducts. (4)
The prostate is divided into three histologically (related to tissues) and anatomically separate glandular areas: The transition zone, the central zone, and the peripheral zone.
Transition Zone This surrounds the part of the urethra that passes through the prostate (between the bladder and the area of the urethra called the verumontanum). This zone only represents about 5 percent of the gland, but is the primary origination of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. That is, the transition zone is the region of the prostate that grows as men age.
Central Zone Making up quarter of the prostate, this area surrounds the transition zone, as well as the ejaculatory ducts that stretch from the seminal vesicles — which produces the majority of the fluid of semen — to the prostatic region of the urethra.
Peripheral Zone This makes up 70 percent of the glandular prostate and encloses the central and transition zones. Most cases of prostatitis (prostate inflammation) and prostate cancer occur in the peripheral zone.
These regions are surrounded by a nonglandular stroma, a type of supportive tissue made up of muscle fibers and fibrous connective tissues. (1,2,5)
The prostate is responsible for producing prostatic fluid, which is full of enzymes, proteins, and minerals that are vital for the proper functioning of sperm.
During climax, smooth muscle fibers of the stroma contract, forcing the prostatic fluid through the ejaculatory ducts and into the urethra.
In the urethra, the prostatic fluid mixes with fluid from the seminal vesicle, sperm from the testes, and secretions from the bulbourethral gland, a pea-sized gland below the prostate. (6)
In all, prostatic fluid makes up 20 to 30 percent of semen (the majority of semen comes from the seminal vesicle). (1)
Aside from producing prostatic fluid, the prostate (along with the bladder’s sphincter muscles) is responsible for closing up the urethra during ejaculation so that semen doesn’t enter the bladder. During urination, the muscles of the central zone close the prostate’s seminal ducts so that urine cannot enter the prostate. (6)
The prostate gland is essential for reproduction and male fertility due to the prostatic fluid it produces.
The components of the prostatic fluid ensure that sperm is healthy and is able to fertilize eggs. Prominent components of prostatic fluid include:
Additionally, prostatic fluid is alkaline (basic on the pH scale), and research suggests that the pH level of sperm can play a role in reproduction, helping maintain the viability of sperm and successful fertilization. (8)
Infertility may develop if there are changes to the composition or secretion of the prostatic fluid.
Due to the location of the prostate (behind the rectum), it is possible to feel the organ with a finger inserted into the rectum. The tissues of the stroma give the prostate an elastic feel to the touch. (6)
Several prostate health issues may develop as a man ages, in particular prostatitis (prostate inflammation), enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia), and prostate cancer.
A prostate exam, also known as a digital rectal exam, is a common procedure to help diagnose these issues.
For the exam, a doctor will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum while you’re standing, bending forward at the waist, or lying on your side with knees pulled up (fetal position).
The doctor will feel your prostate to determine its size (to check if it’s enlarged or inflamed) and look for bumps, hard spots, or other abnormalities that may be indicative of prostate cancer.
The prostate exam is not typically painful unless there’s an abnormality within your prostate. (9)
Prostate massage therapy (or prostatic massage), in which the prostate is stimulated through the rectum, was once a popular treatment for prostatitis.
The procedure is similar to a digital rectal exam, except rather than briefly looking for abnormalities on the prostate, the person performing the prostatic message rubs the prostate with light to moderate pressure until it secretes fluid through the urethra (or the man achieves full ejaculation).
It was once thought that people could relieve symptoms related to prostatic congestion by expelling inflammatory cells and fluid from the obstructed glands. But this therapy largely fell out of favor in the 1960s, once antibiotics became available.
A study tested whether prostate massage could be used as an adjunct treatment for people with chronic prostatitis, but the researchers found that the treatment did not significantly help patients. (10)
In some cases, doctors have used prostate massage therapy to obtain sperm from men with spinal cord injuries, leading to successful pregnancies. Research shows that electroejaculation — stimulating the prostate using an electric current delivered through a probe inserted into the rectum — typically yields more sperm than manual prostate massage. (11)
Using prostate massage to achieve ejaculation is sometimes called prostate milking. Both prostate massage and prostate milking can also be sexual techniques to stimulate pleasure.
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