What is the function of female urethra?
Overview. The female urethra is a relatively simple tubular structure that has the sole purpose of conducting urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
What is the function of urethral?
Urethra. This tube allows urine to pass outside the body. The brain signals the bladder muscles to tighten, which squeezes urine out of the bladder.
What is the functional difference between a male urethra and a female urethra?
In males, it extends approximately 20 cm as it must traverse the length of penis, whereas it is only 4 cm in length in females. The urethra serves a double purpose in men as it also serves as a passage for semen during ejaculation when partaking in sexual activities.
What type of epithelial tissue is found in the urethra?
Pseudostratified columnar epithelium lines the bulbous and penile urethra. Stratified squamous epithelium lines the urethra defined by the glans penis (Fig. 47-1). Numerous glands can be found in the submucosa of the urethra.
Why is the urethra so important?
Urethra. A tube located at the bottom of the bladder that allows urine to exit the body during urination. All parts of the urinary tract—the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra—must work together to urinate normally.
What are the three parts of male urethra?
The male urethra is often divided into 3 segments on the basis of its investing structures: prostatic urethra, membranous urethra, and spongy (or penile) urethra.
What are two differences between the male and female urethra?
In males, the urethra is 8 inches long, while in females, the urethra is only 2 inches long. So the primary difference is one of length. Another difference would be the path the urine takes getting from the bladder to the external world. In females, the path is more direct, while in males, the path is more curving.
What are the parts of urethra?
The male urethra is divided into three parts: the prostatic urethra, membranous urethra, and the spongy urethra. The prostatic urethra starts at the neck of the bladder and is located in the prostate.
What is the function of the male urethra?
What is Male Urethra. Male urethra is the canal through which both urine and semen pass in males. It starts from the bladder and opens to the outside at the tip of the penis. Male urethra also serves as a passage to the semen during ejaculation. Therefore, urethra belongs to both urinary and reproductive system in males.
How big is the urethra of a male?
The male urethra measures approximately 10 to 15 centimeters, depending on the length of the penis. As for the female urethra, it is approximately 3 to 4 centimeters long. Since the male urethra is longer, it passes through more organs and muscles.
Which is more elastic the male or female urethra?
The female urethra is more elastic and more easily distensible than that of the male. Hence catheterisation and instrumentation of the bladder and urethra in the female are more easily performed.
Where does the urethra open in a female?
In females the urethra opens independently of the vagina—it empties into the clitoral fossa, cranially to the vaginal opening. The female urethra (Fig. 4.80) is about 4cm long, lies on the anterior wall of the vagina and opens in the vestibule between the anterior ends of the labia minora and the clitoris (see Fig. 4.95 ).