A neglected gland: a review of Cowper's gland.

Cowper's glands are pea sized glands present inferior to the prostate gland in the male reproductive system. They produce thick clear mucus prior to ejaculation that drains into the spongy urethra. Though it is well established that the function of the Cowper's gland secretions is to neutralize traces of acidic urine in the urethra, knowledge regarding the various lesions and associated complications of this gland is scarce. This review provides a comprehensive report on the development, function and various lesions associated with Cowper's gland.

Immunohistochemical localization of androgen receptors in the urogenital tracts of human embryos.

The aim of this study was to investigate androgen receptor (AR) expression in the developing human urogenital tract. The distribution of AR was examined in paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the lower urogenital tract using 55 human embryos of 8-12 weeks of gestation. Immunohistochemistry was performed for AR detection and gender was determined by polymerized chain reaction. There were no differences in the distribution of AR in male and female embryos at any stage of gestation. AR was present only in the mesenchymal tissues of the urogenital sinus at 8 weeks whilst the epithelium was negative, but after 9 weeks the epithelium also showed progressively more positive staining. In the phallus, AR staining was prominent. There was far less staining in the epithelium of the urethral groove from 8 to 10 weeks, whilst the mesenchyme of the urethral folds showed positive staining. At 11 and 12 weeks, both the urethral groove and folds showed uniform staining. The genital tubercle, genital swelling and bulbourethral gland precusors were also positively stained, although paramesonephric ducts were negative. Staining was observed in the mesonephric duct from 9 weeks. There was an absence of staining in the rectum at all stages of gestation. The expression of AR in an epithelium may be dependent upon the mesenchyme. Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions played an important role in development, as has been described in experimental animals. AR expression could play a part in the growth of the genital organs.

Prenatal in vivo bulbourethral gland development is not affected by prostaglandin E2 inhibition.

Investigation of bulbourethral gland (BUG) development is useful to study genitourinary (GU) tract growth and differentiation. Understanding GU tract growth and differentiation is relevant to testing the hypothesis that the initial lesion of human benign prostatic hyperplasia involves focal re-expression of inductive processes in the periurethral region of the prostatic transitional zone. Prostaglandins play a role in regulating growth and morphogenesis of different organ systems. Previous reports have proposed that prostaglandin E2 (PgE2) mediates the masculinizing effects of testosterone in the developing neonatal male GU tract. We have previously shown that androgens lower rather than raise BUG PgE2 levels. Further studies led us to conclude that PgE2 does not play a major role in postnatal BUG growth and morphogenesis in vitro. In order to investigate the possible role of PgE2 in prenatal BUG development, indomethacin (INDO, 1.0 mg/kg- day, subcutaneously) was administered to pregnant BALB/c mice on gestational days 12-18. Control pregnant mice were either untreated or injected with dimethylsulfoxide vehicle. Anogenital distances were measured within 12 hours after birth in male and female offspring on day 19. In male neonatal mice, BUGs were examined histologically and PgE2 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in BUGs and whole genital tracts. We observed no significant morphological differences in INDO-exposed BUGs compared to controls. No significant differences in mean anogenital distances of INDO-exposed male offspring or controls were detected. Mean anogenital distances of female offspring were similar in the three respective groups. Mean BUG PgE2 levels in INDO-exposed neonates were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in untreated neonates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Lesions of Cowper's glands in children.

Lesions of Cowper's glands in children are relatively uncommon. They may be totally asymptomatic or may cause mild irritative or obstructive voiding symptoms. We describe 4 cases to illustrate the varied manifestations of these lesions in children. A plan of treatment is suggested, which is based on the different anatomical presentations encountered.

[Cowper's canals and glands. Pathological manifestations and radiologic aspects]. / Les canaux et glandes de Cowper. Manifestations pathologiques et aspects radiologiques.

From 11 personal case studies, the authors conduct a general review of the problems raised by Cowper's glands. Cowper's glands, accessory sexual glands, are made up of main glands situated behind and on either side of the bulbar urethra right at the level of the urolgenital diaphragm and of accessory glands situated in the thickness of the bulbar spongy body. The main glands are drained by long canals (several centimeters in length) which empty into the bulbar urethra by paramedian orifices. The fusion of these canals into one single canal at the urethral opening, although rare, could lead to obstruction. These canals can be the site of cystic dilatation ranging from a few millimeters to as much as 6 cm in diameter. These cysts are rarely due to terminal canal obstruction as the result of chronic inflammatory urethritis. Most often they are congenital. The cysts which develop at the level of the accessory glands are usually obstructive while those which develop at the level of the main glands rather have a perineal expansion. The indicative signs of this particular pathology are not specific (pyuria, hematuria, enureis, known urethral stenosis, dysuria with pollakuria, perineal pain with post voiding urethral dripping). Voiding urethrography investigation (the best) shows: --either cystic dilatation seen as a lacuna on the ventral aspect of the urethra, --or opacification of the dilated cavities of the exretory canals which have been spontaneously broken or opened by endoscopic manoeuvres. The opacification of these cavities leads often to the erroneous interpretation of "diverticula" of "incomplete duplication of the urethra" and yet their essential characteristic is twofold: they are oriented in an anterior-posterior direction with respect to the urethra and lead back and away from it; they have a canal type of morphology for at least part of their course.

Retention cysts of Cowper's duct.

Retention cysts arising from obstructed Cowper's ducts are rare lesions of the anterior urethra. Five cases are reported, 3 in male infacts and 2 in young boys. In children and adults the cysts may cause dysuria, urinary frequency, or urinary retention. The etiology of Cowper's duct cysts remains uncertain, but both congenital and acquired cysts have been described. The radiographic findings are characteristic: a smooth, rounded filling defect is seen on the ventral wall of the proximal bulbous urethra during voiding cystourethrography. After fulguration of the cyst, urethrography may reveal reflux into a dilated Cowper's duct.

[Chronology of development of the genital tract of the calf fetus]. / Chronologie du développement de l'appareil génital du foetus de veau

The chronology and the modalities of the differentiation of the genital apparatus were studied in 187 calf fetuses whose insemination age was exactly known (between 32 and 110 days). Male. In the male, the first seminiferous cords form around days 41-42, the interstitial cells appear 2 or 3 days later. From days 60-70 on, the rete testis is made of tubules with an open lumen, which connect the seminiferous cords. The masculinisation of the external genitalia begins as early as day 47 by a rapid increase of the anogenital distance: on day 60, the penis opens under the umbilicus and the scrotum is well differentiated. The regression of the Müllerian ducts starts at the level of their anterior (tubal) part on day 50, when their diameter decreases. From day 58 on, the oviducts become discontinuous and they are almost completely absent by day 63; the uterine horns and the vagina have dissappeared by day 80. The masculinization of the internal genitalia occurs during two phases: 1) between days 56 and 58: the early buds of the seminal vesicles and of the prostate appear, as well as the first differences at the level of the urogenital connections and of the Cowper's glands; a supra-urethral diverticulum develops at the level of the posterior prostatic urethral flexure; the non sexual urethra remains short. 2) After day 70 take place: the differentiation of the epididymides the branching of the seminal vesicles and the stabilization of the Wolffian ducts (after a transitory diminution of their diameter between days 60 and 80). Female. In the female, sexual organogenesis proceeds later than in males. The Müllerian ducts (which show a transitory reduction of their diameter at their tubal level between days 50 and 60) develop steadily after day 60 at the level of their uterine horns and of the vagina; simultaneously the non sexual urethra lengthens rapidly. A suburethral diverticulum, which is absent in the male, develops at the level of the urogenital connections, between days 60-70. The regression of the Wolffian ducts takes place after day 70 when the mesonephros disappear; they first become discontinuous in their median part (at the uterine level) between days 77-80, but important remains of these ducts still persist on day 110, in the posterior part of the vagina. The first primordial ovarian follicles form only after day 100 approximately.