Continue to study slide 69 which shows the prostate gland. Both slides in the set show good glandular epithelium and you may find prostatic concretions. These help you identify the prostate. The epithelium looks cuboidal, pseudostratified low columnar in spots. Inside the glandular lumena you may see laminated bodies known as concretions. These are evident in the following photograph.
In the connective tissue (see above) there are bundles of smooth muscle which stand out because of their homogeneous cytoplasm. Find smooth muscle in the above photograph or the one below. What components of semen are contributed by the prostate?
Slides 70 and 71 show the seminal vesicle. The lumen of this gland is thrown into many folds that appear to branch. This creates a labyrinth of channels, tubes, and pockets into which the secretory product flows. The epithelium shown in the photos below may be simple columnar with patches of pseudostratified epithelium. The appearance of the epithelium is variable and dependent on age and the level of androgen production. In slide 70 one can see some lipochrome pigment in the epithelium, which is present in elderly males. Look at the wall of the gland and again, there are numerous bundles of smooth muscle.
What does the seminal vesicle contribute to the semen?
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