Anatomy of the Prostate Gland

Facts about the prostate gland

The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut. It's located just below the bladder and it surrounds the urethra (a tube that carries urine and semen out of the body). The prostate is partly muscular and partly glandular, with ducts opening into the prostatic portion of the urethra. It is made up of three lobes: a central lobe with one lobe on each side.

Function of the prostate gland

As part of the male reproductive system, the prostate gland’s main purpose is to secrete a slightly alkaline fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid, a fluid that carries sperm. During male climax (orgasm), the muscular glands of the prostate help to propel the prostate fluid, in addition to sperm that was made in the testicles, into the urethra. The semen then leaves the body out through the tip of the penis during ejaculation.