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The human male urethra laid open on its anterior (upper) surface. In the human male, the urethra is on average 18 to 20 centimeters (7 to 8 inches) long and opens at the end of the external urethral meatus. [10] The urethra is divided into four parts in men, named after the location: [10]
The human urinary system, also known as the urinary tract or renal system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra.The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH.
Inside the penis is the urethra, which is used to ejaculate semen and to excrete urine. Both substances exit through the meatus. When a male becomes sexually aroused, erection occurs because sinuses within the erectile tissues of the penis (corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum) become filled with blood.
The muscle helps maintain continence of urine along with the internal urethral sphincter which is under control of the autonomic nervous system.The external sphincter muscle prevents urine leakage as the muscle is tonically contracted via somatic fibers that originate in Onuf's nucleus and pass through sacral spinal nerves S2-S4 then the pudendal nerve to synapse on the muscle.
The distal section of the urethra allows a human male to direct the stream of urine by holding the penis. This flexibility allows the male to choose the posture in which to urinate. In cultures where more than a minimum of clothing is worn, the penis allows the male to urinate while standing without removing much of the clothing.
The urethra of an adult human female is 3-4 cm long. [4] The female urethra is located between the bladder neck to the external urethral orifice and is behind the symphysis pubis. [4] The urethral wall is composed of an inner epithelial lining, a sub-mucosa layer containing vascular supply, a thin fascial layer, and two layers of smooth muscle. [4]
The spongy urethra (cavernous portion of urethra, penile urethra) is the longest part of the male urethra, and is contained in the corpus spongiosum of the penis. It is about 15 cm long, and extends from the termination of the membranous portion to the external urethral orifice .
The function of the corpus spongiosum in erection is to prevent the urethra from pinching closed, thereby maintaining the urethra as a viable channel for ejaculation. To do this, the corpus spongiosum remains pliable during erection while the corpora cavernosa penis become engorged with blood.