Chap103N Pathophysiology of BEP

Primitive urogenital sinus - further segments into the urinary bladder at its cranial end and the urethra at its caudal terminus. 

Prostate develops just caudal to the bladder neck via the proliferation of epithelial buds extending out from the urogenital sinus epithelium.

• 70% : gland
• 30% : fibromuscular stroma

• The glandular elements divided into discrete zones :
• –location of their ducts in the urethra,
• – differing pathologic lesions, and
• – embryologic origin

• 1. Periurethral glands
• –<1% of the secretory elements
• –Give rise to median lobe in BEP

• 2. Transition zone 
• – 5% to 10%  of glandular tissue
• –Duct open at prostatic angle
• –Gives rise to BPH
• –20% of adenocarcinoma

• 3. Central zone
• –25% of glandular tissue
• –Duct rise circumferentially around the openings of the ED.
• –5% of adenocarcinoma, in apical region, mostly not detected 

• 4. Peripheral zone
• –70% of glandular tissue
• –Duct drain into entire length of post sphinteric prostatic urethra
• –70% adenocarcinoma

• TZ: heterogenous
• PZ: homogenous

Testosterone can be converted to DHT or estrogens, but estrogens and DHT cannot be converted to testosterone.

Volume - 3ml  (2-6 ml)

Spermatozoa <1% of the total ejaculate

• Seminal plasma - 1.5 to 2 mL
• Prostate - 0.5 mL
• Cowper gland and glands of Littre - 0.1 to 0.2 mL

• Citrate - Prostate secretory epithelial cells
• Fructose - Seminal vesicles
• Polyamines - prostatic tissues
• Prostaglandins - Seminal vesicles
• Zinc - Seminal plasma