Female prostate: historical, developmental, and morphological perspectives

Abstract

The female prostate was first described by Reijnier de Graaf in 1672, and even after several years this gland is still a matter of controversy. Part of this is because the biological function of this female gland is unclear. Moreover, when compared with the male prostate, the existence of this organ in females does not make sense, mainly when we consider that the major function of this gland is to produce a secretion that is responsible for guarantee the sperm survival and assure the reproductive success. However, even under a controversy field, we now have a lot of scientific information which enhances our knowledge of several important biological aspects of this gland. It is clear that this gland is found in some female mammals including humans, rodents, rabbits, bats, and dogs. Several studies with rodents showed that the female prostate is homolog of the male prostate, showing strong macroscopic and microscopic similarities with the ventral lobe of males. Besides these aspects, there are several studies reporting that diseases such as cysts, hyperplasia, and carcinoma may affect the female prostate. Therefore, although diseases involving the female prostate are rare, the susceptibility of this organ to develop lesions must be considered, especially in our recent years in which the exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals has greatly increased. Finally, further studies will be necessary to enhance our understanding about this gland, mainly of the developmental, evolutionary, and biological functions.

Postnatal exposure to finasteride causes different effects on the prostate of male and female gerbils

“…They may also be the source of a portion of urethral tumours and prostatitis diagnoses (Zaviacic and Ablin, 2000). In the Mongolian gerbil ( Meriones unguiculatus ), the species used in this study, the females have a high incidence of a functional prostate (approximately 90%), unlike females of other species of rodent (Thomson et al, 2002; Santos and Taboga, 2006; Biancardi et al, 2017). In this species, the female gland develops into a single lobe, which has several morphophysiological similarities and is homologous to the male ventral lobe (Sanches et al, 2016b), which allows comparative studies between the sexes to be conducted.…”

Low‐dose in utero exposure to finasteride promotes developmental changes in both male and female gerbil prostates

“…These interactions are modulated by endocrine action, such that prostate development depends on hormones, especially male sex hormones, the androgens, although estrogens also play a supplementary role . During development, hormonal action is finely coordinated in terms of concentration and time of action, such that minor changes in both androgen and estrogen concentrations can induce major changes in prostate development, as well as increased susceptibility to pathological conditions associated with aging …”

“…Females of various species have some clusters of glands in the urethra that are homologous to the male prostate. Although not encapsulated and smaller, the female prostate is capable of producing a secretion similar to that produced by the male prostate, and has similar prostate alveoli and other tissue elements typical of the male prostate . In the case of rodents, which have a lobulated prostate, the single lobe of the female prostate is similar to the male's ventral lobe .…”

“…Females of other species of rodents, however, such as Mongolian gerbils ( Meriones unguiculatus ), have a high occurrence of functional prostates. As a result, this species has been widely used in studies investigating the female prostate and the effects of hormonal manipulation . This type of investigation becomes relevant in the light of the presence of functional prostates in at least half of women, which are unencapsulated, much smaller than the male prostate, approximately 5 g in weight, and can spread into the urethra especially in a more medial region .…”

Prostate epithelium basement membrane and prostate cell biology: 20 years

“…This commemorative issue enlists a series of contributions from our laboratories and peers, ranging from instructive aspects (Biancardi et al, ) and endocrine disruption (Camora et al, ; Sanches et al, ) of prostate development to novel aspects of extracellular matrix regulation (Barbosa et al, ; Delella et al, ), from the androgen‐regulation of prostate inflammation (Quintar and Maldonado, ; Quintar et al, ) to gene expression profiles in prostate cancer (Oliveira‐Barros et al, ). Solis‐Calero and Carvalho () present a theoretical computer modeling approach to the interaction between KLK14 and HAI‐1/2, with implications on HGF activation and downstream signaling, adding to the complexity of stromal regulation of epithelial function.…”