Review of Prostate Anatomy and Embryology and the Etiology of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Prostate development follows a common pattern between species and depends on the actions of androgens to induce and support ductal branching morphogenesis of buds emerging from the urogenital sinus. The human prostate has a compact zonal anatomy immediately surrounding the urethra and below the urinary bladder. Rodents have a lobular prostate with lobes radiating away from the urethra. The human prostate is the site of benign hyperplasia, prostate cancer, and prostatitis. The rodent prostate has little naturally occurring disease. Rodents can be used to model aspects of human benign hyperplasia, but care should be taken in data interpretation and extrapolation to the human condition.

The Urologic clinics of North America. 2016 Aug [Epub]

LaTayia Aaron, Omar E Franco, Simon W Hayward

Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, Meharry Medical College, 1005 DR DB Todd JR Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, 1001 University Place, Evanston, IL 60201, USA., Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, 1001 University Place, Evanston, IL 60201, USA., Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, Meharry Medical College, 1005 DR DB Todd JR Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; Department of Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, 1001 University Place, Evanston, IL 60201, USA. Electronic address: .