Skene's gland

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Skene's gland
Skene's Gland opening is pictured.
Latin	glandulae vestibulares minores
Gray's	subject #252 1213
Precursor	Urogenital sinus
Dorlands/Elsevier	Paraurethral glands

In human anatomy (female), the Skene's glands (also known as the lesser vestibular glands, periurethral glands, skene glands, paraurethral glands,^[1] female prostate) are glands located on the anterior wall of the vagina, around the lower end of the urethra. They drain into the urethra and near the urethral opening and may be near or a part of the G-Spot. These glands are surrounded with tissue (which includes the part of the clitoris) that reaches up inside the vagina and swells with blood during sexual arousal.

Homology and possible functions

Female ejaculation

The location of the Skene's gland is the general area of the vulva, glands located on the anterior wall of the vagina around the lower end of the urethra. It has been postulated that the Skene's glands are the source of female ejaculation.^[2] In 2002, Emanuele Jannini of L'Aquila University in Italy showed that there may be an explanation both for the phenomenon and for the frequent denials of its existence. Skene's glands have highly variable anatomy, and in some extreme cases they appear to be absent entirely. If Skene's glands are the cause of female ejaculation and G-Spot-orgasms, this may explain the absence in many women.^[3][4]

It has been demonstrated that a large amount of lubricating fluid (filtered blood plasma^[specify]) can be secreted from this gland when stimulated from inside the vagina.^[5] Some reports indicate that embarrassment regarding female ejaculation, and the mistaken notion that the substance is urine, can lead to purposeful suppression of sexual climax, leading women to seek medical advice and even undergo surgery to "stop the urine".^[6]

Female prostate

The Skene's glands are homologous with the prostate gland in males.^[7] The fluid that emerges during sex, female ejaculation, has a composition somewhat similar to the fluid generated in males by the prostate gland,^[8][9] containing biochemical markers of sexual function like human urinary protein 1^[10] and the enzyme PDE5 where women without the gland had lower concentrations.^[11] When examined with electron microscopy, both glands show similar secretory structures,^[12] and both act similarly in terms of prostate-specific antigen and prostate-specific acid phosphatase studies.^{[13][14][15][16]} Because they are increasingly perceived as merely different versions of the same gland, some researchers are moving away from the name Skene's gland and are referring to it instead as the female prostate.^[17]

Eponym

The glands were named after the physician who described them first in Western medical literature, Alexander Skene.^[18][19]

Disorders

Disorders of or related to the Skene's gland include:

• Infection (skenitis)^[20][21]
• Skene's duct cyst^[22]

See also

• Bartholin's gland
• List of homologues of the human reproductive system
• Pudendal nerve
• Vaginal orgasm
• Wolffian duct
• Vaginal lubrication

References

External links

• [1]
• [2]
• The paraurethral glands in scientific literature
• BBC 2002
• Jones N (3 July 2002). "Bigger is better when it comes to the G spot". New Scientist. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992495. 
• Geddes L (20 February 2008). "Ultrasound nails location of the elusive G spot". New Scientist. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726444.100-ultrasound-nails-location-of-the-elusive-g-spot.html. 
• Gravina GL, Brandetti F, Martini P, et al. (March 2008). "Measurement of the thickness of the urethrovaginal space in women with or without vaginal orgasm". J Sex Med 5 (3): 610–8. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00739.x. PMID 18221286. 
• LA Times 2008
• Sexuality.org G-spot (information page)
• Glossario di Sessuologia clinica - Glossary of clinical sexology (It - En)