urethra

[Late Latin ūrēthra, from Greek ourēthra, from ourein, to urinate.]

The passage from the bladder to the outside world. Short in the female, and nothing more nor less than an exit for urine. Long and tortuous in the male, and with a dual role: the vas deferens on each side joins the duct from the seminal vesicle to form the ejaculatory duct; this enters the urethra where it passes through the prostate gland; the next part, the penile urethra, is thus the channel for either urine or seminal fluid; reflex contraction of the muscular sphincter around the bladder exit prevents backflow into the bladder during ejaculation. (There is no special mechanism to prevent urine from entering the vasa — the anatomical arrangements and the less forceful nature of urination are sufficient.)

— Stuart Judge

See urogenital system.

A tube through which urine moves from the urinary bladder out of the body. In the male, the urethra also acts as the passageway for semen.

The tubular passage through which urine is discharged from the bladder to the exterior via the external urinary meatus. In males the urethra also conveys the secretions of the reproductive organs.

• female u. — runs ventrally to the reproductive tract, opening in its ventral wall at the junction of the vagina and the vestibule; at its entrance it may be joined with a diverticulum (cow, sow) or a hummock (bitch).
• incomplete u. — see urethral atresia.
• male u. — consists of pelvic (bladder to entrance to penis) and penile or spongy part; the deferent and vesicular ducts enter the pelvic urethra soon after it leaves the bladder.
• penile u. — that part of the male urethra which passes through the penis; called also spongy urethra.
• prosthetic u. — limited use in male cats with urethral obstruction or stricture; some serious disadvantages and surgical perineal urethrostomy the preferred treatment.
• spongy u. — that part of the urethra surrounded by erectile tissue; called also penile urethra.

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Urethra
Female anatomy. (Urethra labeled at bottom left.)
Male anatomy. (Urethra opening labeled at bottom left, the bulbo-urethral gland at the base of the penis.)
Latin	Female urethra: urethra feminina Male urethra: urethra masculina
Gray's	subject #256 1234
Precursor	Urogenital sinus
MeSH	urethra
Dorlands/Elsevier	Urethra

In anatomy, the urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα - ourethra) is a tube which connects the urinary bladder to the outside of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine. In females, the urethra is shorter and emerges above the vaginal opening.

The external urethral sphincter is a striated muscle that allows voluntary control over urination.

Contents 1 Medical problems of the urethra 2 Investigations 3 Sexual physiology 4 Additional images 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Medical problems of the urethra

Micrograph of urethral cancer (urothelial cell carcinoma), a rare problem of the urethra.

• Hypospadias and epispadias are forms of abnormal development of the urethra in the male, where the meatus is not located at the distal end of the penis (it occurs lower than normal with hypospadias, and higher with epispadias). In a severe chordee, the urethra can develop between the penis and the scrotum.
• Infection of the urethra is urethritis, said to be more common in females than males. Urethritis is a common cause of dysuria (pain when urinating).
• Related to urethritis is so called urethral syndrome
• Passage of kidney stones through the urethra can be painful and subsequently it can lead to urethral strictures.
• Cancer of the urethra.
  Main article: urethral cancer
• Foreign bodies in the urethra are uncommon, but there have been medical case reports of self-inflicted injuries, a result of insertion of foreign bodies into the urethra such as an electrical wire.^[1]

Investigations

• Endoscopy of the bladder via the urethra is called cystoscopy.
• Urine cytology.

Sexual physiology

The male urethra is the conduit for semen during sexual intercourse. It also serves as a passage for urine to flow.

Additional images

Urinary system	Urinary system	Muscles of the female perineum.	Transverse section of the penis.
Vaginal opening - english description.jpg The place of the urethral opening in women.	Penis Close-Up2.JPG The place of the urethral opening in men.

See also

• Perineal urethra
• Vulvovaginal health
• Urethral sponge
• G-spot
• Urethral sounding
• Urethrotomy
• Internal urethral orifice

References

1. ^ http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/content/3/1/49/abstract

External links

• Histology at KUMC epithel-epith07 "Male Urethra"

v • d • e Anatomy: urinary system (TA A08, GA 11.1215) Abdomen Kidneys Layers Renal fascia • Renal capsule • Renal cortex  (Renal column) • Renal medulla (Renal sinus, Renal pyramids, medullary interstitium) • Renal lobe • Cortical lobule • Medullary ray • Nephron Afferent circulation Renal artery → Segmental arteries → Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries → Interlobular arteries → Afferent arterioles → Renal corpuscle (Glomerulus, Bowman's capsule) Renal tubule Proximal tubule → Loop of Henle (Descending, Thin ascending, Thick ascending) → Distal convoluted tubule → Connecting tubule → Collecting ducts aka Duct of Belini → Renal papilla → Minor calyx → Major calyx → Renal pelvis Efferent circulation Glomerulus → Efferent arterioles → Peritubular capillaries / Vasa recta → Arcuate vein → Interlobar veins → Renal vein Juxtaglomerular apparatus Macula densa • Juxtaglomerular cells • Mesangium/Extraglomerular mesangial cell Filtration Glomerular basement membrane • Podocyte • Filtration slits • Mesangium/Intraglomerular mesangial cell • Tubular fluid Ureters Orifice of ureter Pelvis Bladder Uvula • Trigone • Detrusor • Apex • Neck Urethra Urethral sphincters (External sphincter muscle of male urethra, External sphincter muscle of female urethra, Internal sphincter muscle of urethra) urinary system navs: anat/physio/dev, noncongen/acid+base/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc

v • d • e Male reproductive system (TA A09.3-4, GA 11.1236) Seminal tract Scrotum layers (skin, Dartos, External spermatic fascia, Cremaster/Cremasteric fascia, Internal spermatic fascia) · Perineal raphe · Spermatic cord Testes layers (Tunica vaginalis, Tunica albuginea, Tunica vasculosa testis) · Appendix · Mediastinum · Lobules · Septa · Leydig cell · Sertoli cell · Blood-testis barrier Spermatogenesis Spermatogonium · Spermatocytogenesis · Spermatocyte · Spermatidogenesis · Spermatid · Spermiogenesis · Spermatozoon Other Seminiferous tubules (Tubuli seminiferi recti, Rete testis, Efferent ducts) · Epididymis  (Appendix, Stereocilia) · Vas deferens (Ampulla) · Ejaculatory duct Urinary tract Internal urethral orifice · Urethra (Prostatic, Intermediate, Spongy, Navicular fossa) · External urethral orifice Accessory glands Seminal vesicles  (Excretory duct of seminal gland) · Prostate  (Urethral crest/Seminal colliculus/Prostatic utricle/Ejaculatory duct, Prostatic sinus/Prostatic ducts) · Bulbourethral glands Penis root (Crus, Bulb, Fundiform ligament, Suspensory ligament) · body (Corpus cavernosum, Corpus spongiosum) · glans (Foreskin, Frenulum, Corona) · fascia (superficial/subcutaneous, deep/Buck's) · Tunica albuginea · Septum of the penis reproductive system navs: anat female,male/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - urinrør

Nederlands (Dutch)
pisbuis

Français (French)
n. - urètre

Deutsch (German)
n. - Harnröhre

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ανατ.) ουρήθρα

Italiano (Italian)
uretra

Português (Portuguese)
n. - uretra (f) (Anat.)

Русский (Russian)
уретра

Español (Spanish)
n. - uretra

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - urinrör

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
尿道

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 尿道

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 요도

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 尿道

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) احليل ( مخرج البول او قناة تحمل البول خارج المثانه)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שופכה, מוביל השתן‬

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