EXTERNAL MALE SEXUAL ANATOMY
The human penis differs from some other mammalian penises by lacking an erectile bone, instead relying entirely on engorgement with blood to reach its erect state. It also lacks the ability to be withdrawn into the groin, and is larger-than-average in proportion to body mass.
The male sexual anatomy organ has five major visible parts on the outside of the body:
The urethral meatus:
The urinary meatus, is the opening of the urethra, situated on the glans penis. The glans penis is the sensitive erectile tip of the penis. The meatus of the urethra is at the tip of the glans penis. The urethra is a tube which connects the urinary bladder to the outside of the body. The urethra has an excretory function in both sexes, to pass urine to the outside, and also a reproductive function in the male, as a passage for sperm.
The Glans or head:
The glans penis is the sensitive erectile tip of the penis. It is wholly or partially covered by the foreskin, except when the foreskin is retracted, such as during sexual intercourse while the penis is erect.
The Corona and Frenum:
The circumference of the base of the glans forming a rounded projecting border is the corona glandis. Frenulum breve is the condition in which the frenulum of the penis is short and restricts the movement of the prepuce, and may or may not interfere with normal sexual activity. The condition can be treated by frenuloplasty or circumcision, but recently, frenulum breve has been treated with the use of corticosteroid creams and manual stretching of the frenulum.
The Penis Shaft:
The shaft contains smooth muscle and tubes of erectile tissue, which have empty space in them. During an erection blood flows into these spaces, making the penis go hard. When the penis is hard, it is common to see veins just under the skin. The shaft of the penis surrounds the urethra and is connected to the pubic bone.
The Foreskin:
The foreskin is a loose tube of skin, full of nerve endings, that grows out from the shaft of the penis just below the glans and normally covers the head of the penis when it is not erect. As the foreskin is very rich with nerve endings, it is highly sensitive when touched, and plays an important role in leading to ejaculation during intercourse.
The foreskin usually retracts during erection. Many men have had this skin removed through a circumcision. Penises with and without foreskin look different and all men are born with a foreskin. If parents want their son to have a circumcision, it is usually done shortly after birth.
Other topics
· How ejaculation occurs
· How an erection occurs
Conditions of the penis include:
- Peyronie's disease -a curve during erection-
- Double penis -during development, the penis is divided by the urethral groove-
- Hypospadias -the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis, rather than at the tip-
- Epispadias -the opening of the urethra is on the top or side of the penis, rather than at the tip-
- Palmatus or webbed penis -the penis is enclosed by the scrotum-
- Chordee
- Priapism
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A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
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