The development of the prostate gland is dependent on the hormones produced by the testes. In infants, the organ is extremely small, approximately the size of a single grain of wheat. During puberty, which usually occurs in males between the ages of 10 and 14, the prostate enters a period of accelerated growth and typically achieves its mature size. However, the prostates of boys who are castrated before this stage in their life never reach their full functioning capabilities or adult dimensions. In unaltered individuals, the prostate continues to change over time and in the fifth decade of life significant enlargement of the gland is common.