Post Date December, 02 2023
Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a single chain glycoprotein secreted by the epithelial cells of prostate acini and ducts. It is a serine protease that functionally belongs to kallikrein like enzymes and participates in the liquefaction process of semen. It is an important indicator for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of benign and malignant prostate diseases and follow-up of patients with prostate cancer in clinical practice.
The prostate is an unpaired parenchymal organ composed of glandular and muscular tissue. The transverse diameter of the upper end of the prostate is about 4 cm, the vertical diameter is about 3 cm, and the anteroposterior diameter is about 2 cm. There is a fascia sheath on the surface, called the prostate sac. There is a prostatic venous plexus between the bladder and the prostate. The secretion of the prostate is the main component of semen.
The prostate is slightly flattened in the shape of a chestnut, with a wide upper end called the prostate floor, adjacent to the bladder neck. The lower end is thin and pointed, located on the urogenital septum, known as the apex of the prostate. The part between the bottom and tip is called the prostaglandin. The back of the body is relatively flat, with a longitudinal shallow groove on the median line, known as the prostatic groove. The male urethra penetrates the prostate at the proximal anterior edge of the glandular base, passes through the anterior portion of the glandular parenchyma, and exits from the tip of the prostate.
Near the posterior edge of the base, a pair of ejaculatory tubes penetrate the prostate and open on the seminal caruncle on the posterior wall of the urethra prostate. The excretory tube of the prostate opens at the posterior wall of the urethra prostate. The prostate is generally divided into five lobes: the anterior, middle, posterior, and bilateral lobes. The middle lobe is wedge-shaped and located between the urethra and the ejaculatory duct. After the age of 40, the middle lobe can become enlarged, protruding upward toward the bladder, causing the bladder prolapse to bulge significantly, and compressing the urethra causing difficulty in urination.
The prostate is located between the bladder and the primary reproductive diaphragm. The base of the prostate is adjacent to the bladder neck, seminal vesicle glands, and ampulla of the vas deferens. The front is the pubic symphysis, and the rear is the ampulla of the rectum. During digital rectal examination, it is possible to touch the back of the prostate to diagnose whether the prostate is enlarged or not. It is also possible to touch the ampulla of the vas deferens and seminal vesicles upward. In children, the prostate gland is very small and grows rapidly during sexual maturity. In old age, the prostate gland degenerates and atrophies.
If the connective tissue inside the gland is hyperplasia, it forms hypertrophy of the prostate. The surface has a coating. "There are many elastic fibers and smooth muscles in it, which can extend into the gland to form a stent for the prostate. The essence of the prostate consists of 30 to 50 multiple tubular vesicular glands, with a total of 15 to 30 conduits opening on both sides of the urethral seminal vesicle. According to the distribution of the glands, they can be divided into mucosal glands, submucosal glands, and main glands.".
Related Reading:
Where is the location of the prostate gland
How to do prostate massage yourself
Frequent cycling can lead to prostate cancer in men
