Hypothesis/aims of study. The male rat have three pairs of prostatic lobes: ventral, dorsal and lateral (1). The ventral lobes are attached to the ventral wall of the bladder, in close anatomical relation to the bladder nerves. These nerves are injured during prostatectomy. Considering that the prostate contribute to seminal fluid expelled during ejaculation (2), we propose that ablation of the prostate ventral lobe produce infertility and urinary dysfunction.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of ablation of prostate ventral lobes on fertility, urinary parameters and copulatory behavior of male rats.

Study design, materials, and methods. The experimental protocol was approved by the University Committee on Laboratory Animals, according to the guidelines of the Mexican Council on Laboratory Animals Care (NOM-062-ZOO-1999) and NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. We employed 15 sexual experience Wistar male rats. Animals were assigned to bilateral ablation of the ventral prostate lobes, group (VPx; n=8) or sham surgery (Sh; n=7). Urinary parameters, copulatory behavior and fertility were measured presurgery and 30 days postsurgery. Ablation of prostate ventral lobes were done under ketamine-xylazine anesthesia. In Sh group the prostatic lobes were localized but not removed. After surgery, antibiotic and analgesic were injected. Postoperatory care was provided. Copulatory behavior were measured using oestrus induced female rat and fertility was evaluated with natural oestrus rats. Urinary parameters were recorded under standardized system to record behavior of micturition, during the last six hours of the dark phase. Paired Student´s t-test was used to analyze the data. P values of <0.05 indicated a statistically difference.

Results: In the Sh group there was not statistical significance difference in any of the parameter recorded before and after surgery. VPx did not affect parameters of copulatory behavior nor fertility (average 10 pups, presurgery vs postsurgery, p>0.05). However, there was an increase in daytime (urinary) frequency (presurgery 7±0.9 vs 15±1.4 at 30 days postsurgery). Pre and postmicturition leakage were present in VPx males.

VAblation of prostate ventral lobes induces urinary dysfunction but does not affect sexual function or fertility in rats

Concluding message 
Our findings suggest that the rat prostate ventral lobes are not crucial for sexual nor reproductive function, although their remotion affect urinary function. Given that prostate ventral lobes are in close anatomical relation to urinary bladder nerves, we suggest that urinary leakage post-ablation resulted from injury of the blader innervation during surgical procedure for prostatectomy, and could be a model of partial vesical denervation.