What is the Prostate?

The more you know about the prostate, what it is, how it works, and where it’s located, the better you can understand how prostate conditions and prostate procedures may impact your current and ongoing health.

This page is a resource to help you understand the prostate, common conditions and treatment options so you can take better control of your health and make the decisions that are right for you.

Prostate at a glance

The prostate is a gland
The prostate sits on the pelvic floor
The prostate is surrounded by nerves
The prostate surrounds the urethra

Prostate anatomy

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis, and only appears in males.

The prostate is just in front of the rectum.

The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting urine flow out of the body¹.

Prostate function

The prostate is an important part of the male reproductive system.

The prostate contracts during ejaculation and squirts a fluid into the urethra; this fluid is known as prostatic fluid1.

prostate-model

The prostate is an exocrine gland. Exocrine glands secrete through ducts to the outside of the body.

The prostate produces a milky-white fluid called the prostatic fluid. Prostatic fluid combines with sperm from the testes, and fluid from the seminal vesicles to form semen. Prostatic fluid comprises approximately 30% of the volume of ejaculatory fluid. Prostatic fluid provides nutrients to sperm, and aids in sperm delivery by protecting them and helping them live longer¹.

The prostate also produces a protein called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA).

PSA is released with the ejaculatory fluid and can also be traced in the bloodstream. After ejaculation, PSA makes thickened semen runnier, which helps sperm travel through it more easily¹

The amount of PSA that is found in the blood increases with the size of the prostate gland, age and prostate conditions such as BPH, cancer and prostatitis (infection of the prostate)1. There is more information on why this is useful in the following section.

The prostate surrounds the urethra as it passes from the bladder towards the penis and is adjacent to sphincters, which plays a role in controlling urine flow.

The prostate may become enlarged and cause urethral compression which can make urination difficult².

The prostate and bladder neck also contract during ejaculation, closing the opening between the bladder and urethra, making it impossible to urinate and ejaculate at the same time¹.

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Why is prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing useful?

PSA, a protein produced in the ducts of the prostate, is absorbed into the bloodstream. PSA is produced by both normal and malignant prostate cells.

A PSA blood test measures the amount of PSA found in the blood. PSA levels in the blood can also increase with prostate diseases such as BPH, prostate cancer and prostatitis (infection of the prostate). The PSA test, combined with the digital rectal exam is the most accurate guide to early cancer detection.

The PSA level that is considered normal for an average man increases with age and can range from 0 to 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml)¹.

References

1. National Cancer Institute. (2011, August). Understanding Prostate Changes. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/understanding-prostate-changes/prostate-booklet.pdf.

2. Nakajima, C., Iimura, Y., & Yamanishi, T. (2001). The reason why prostatic hyperplasia causes lower urinary tract symptoms. A Journal of Medical Sciences of Japan and Other Asian Countries, 44(2), 91-96.

Learn more about the prostate

Prostate specific antigen testing

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is a protein produced in the ducts of the prostate. PSA is produced by both normal and malignant prostate cells, and is absorbed into the bloodstream.

PSA testing