Final answer:
The prostate gland secretes an alkaline fluid that is a component of semen, essential for sperm survival and motility within the female reproductive tract.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prostate gland is a crucial component of the male reproductive system. It produces an alkaline fluid that makes up about 30 percent of semen. This fluid joins the secretions from the seminal vesicles and the bulbourethral gland as it passes through the ejaculatory ducts. The alkaline nature of the prostatic fluid is essential for protecting sperm by neutralizing the acidity of the vaginal environment, thereby creating a suitable medium for sperm motility and survival. The prostate gland does not produce semen as a whole, testosterone, or inhibin hormone; rather, it contributes a specific component to the semen.
Spermatogenesis, the production of sperm, occurs in the seminiferous tubules of the testes, not in the prostate gland. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra and provides nourishing substances that are key to the coagulation and subsequent decoagulation of semen after ejaculation.