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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.

[edit] Anatomy

[edit] Female urethra

In the human female, the urethra is about 1+1/2–2 inches (2–5 cm) long and opens between the clitoris and the vaginal opening, extending from the internal to the external urethral orifice. It is placed behind the symphysis pubis, embedded in the anterior wall of the vagina, and its direction is obliquely downward and forward; it is slightly curved with the concavity directed forward. Its lining is composed of stratified squamous epithelium, which becomes transitional near the bladder. The urethra consists of three coats: muscular, erectile, and mucous, the muscular layer being a continuation of that of the bladder. Between the superior and inferior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm, the female urethra is surrounded by the Sphincter urethae (urethral sphincter). Somatic (conscious) innervation of the external urethral sphincter is supplied by the pudendal nerve. The uro-genital sinus may be divided into three component parts. The first of these is the cranial portion which is continuous with the allantois and forms the bladder proper. The pelvic part of the sinus forms the prostatic urethra and epithelium as well as the membranous urethra and bulbo urethral glands in the male and the membranous urethra and part of the vagina in females. The area above and on both sides of the female urethra is thought by some to be sexually sensitive and is sometimes referred to as the VAKI U-spot or urethral erogenous zone.

[edit] Male urethra

In the human male, the urethra is about 8 inches (20 cm) long and opens at the end of the penis. The urethra provides an exit for urine as well as semen during ejaculation.

The urethra is divided into four parts in men, named after the location:

Region	Description	Epithelium
pre-prostatic urethra	This is the intramural part of the urethra and varies between 0.5 and 1.5 cm in length depending the fullness of the bladder.	Transitional
prostatic urethra	Crosses through the prostate gland. There are several openings: (1) the ejaculatory duct receives sperm from the vas deferens and ejaculate fluid from the seminal vesicle, (2) several prostatic ducts where fluid from the prostate enters and contributes to the ejaculate, (3) the prostatic utricle, which is merely an indentation. These openings are collectively called the verumontanum.	Transitional
membranous urethra	A small (1 or 2 cm) portion passing through the external urethral sphincter. This is the narrowest part of the urethra. It is located in the deep perineal pouch. The ducts of the bulbourethral glands (Cowper's gland) enter here.	Pseudostratified columnar
spongy urethra (or penile urethra)	Runs along the length of the penis on its ventral (underneath) surface. It is about 15–16 cm in length, and travels through the corpus spongiosum. The ducts from the urethral gland (gland of Littre) enter here. Some textbooks will subdivide the spongy urethra into two parts, the bulbous and pendulous urethra.	Pseudostratified columnar – proximally, Stratified squamous – distally

The length of a male's urethra, and the fact it contains a prominent bend, makes catheterization more difficult. The integrity of the urethra can be determined by a procedure known as retrograde urethrogram.

[edit] Histology

The epithelium of the urethra starts off as transitional cells as it exits the bladder. Further along the urethra there are stratified columnar cells, then stratified squamous cells near the external urethral orifice.

There are small mucus-secreting urethral glands, that help protect the epithelium from the corrosive urine.

[edit] 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]