The prostate gland is located just below the urinary bladder.  The base or top of the prostate is intimately connected tothe urinary bladder sphincter, or vale.The urethra, or channel for voiding of urine, passes through the centre of the prostate.The apex or lower end of the prostate is connected to the penis.

The prostate of a baby boy is about the size of a pea.  At the onset of puberty, the testes begin to produce testosterone.  Testosterone produces androgens, weak hormonal steroids that promote masculisation.  The androgen receptors of the prostate cells respond to the testosterone.  This causes significant growth of the prostate.  The prostate maintains androgen receptor expression throughout life.  The androgens can be considered nourishment for the prostate cells.Without them, the cells will shrivel up and die.

The normal male prostate gland, between the ages of 21 and 30, will have a prostate that weights 20 plus or minus 6 grams, which remains constant unless benign prostatic hypertrophy begins.Nearly 60 per cent of men between the ages of 40 and 59 already suffer from an enlarging prostate, and at 80 years of age, approximately 80% of men will have an enlarged prostate gland.

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