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Pubic Symphysis

Pubic symphysis

The pubic symphysis is the midline cartilaginous joint uniting the superior rami of the left and right pubic bones (pubis). It is located anterior to the urinary bladder and superior to the external genitalia (above the vulva in females and above the penis in males) in both sexes. In males, the suspensory ligament of the penis attaches to the pubic symphysis. In females, the pubic symphysis is intimately close to the clitoris. During pregnancy in the human, hormones such as relaxin soften this cartilage allowing the pelvic bones to be more flexible for delivery. The symphysis pubis may actually separate during the birthing process in some women: this is painful but rare, with reported rates of occurrence ranging from one in 600 to one in 3400 births. Category:pelvis

Cartilage

Cartilage is a type of dense connective tissue. Cartilage is composed of cells called chondrocytes which are dispersed in a firm gel-like ground substance, called the matrix. Cartilage is avascular (contains no blood vessels) and nutrients are diffused through the matrix. Cartilage is found in the joints, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, in the throat and between intervertebral disks. There are three main types of cartilage: hyaline, elastic and fibrocartilage.

Composition

Much like other connective tissue, cartilage is composed of cells, fibers and a matrix.

Cells

Chondrocytes and the precusor forms of chondrocytes known as chondroblasts are the only cells found in cartilage. They are responsible for the secretion and maintenance of the matrix. The matrix immediately surrounding the chondrocytes is referred to as the territorial matrix and stains darker than the interstitial matrix. Chondrocytes lie in a cavity called a lacuna. During slide preparations, chondrocytes often shrink and appear smaller than the lacunae but in live tissue, they occupy the entire area.

Fibers

Cartilage is composed of collagen and elastic fibers. In hyaline cartilage, Type II collagen makes up 40% of its dry weight and is arranged in cross-striated fibers, 15-45nm in diameter that do not assemble into large bundles. Elastic cartilage also contains elastic fibers and fibrocartilage contains more collagen than hyaline cartilage.

Matrix

The matrix is mainly composed of proteoglycans, a special type of glycosaminoglycans. The most common type is chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate.

Types of cartilage

There are three different types of cartilage, each with special characteristics adapted to local needs.

Hyaline cartilage

This is the most abundant type of cartilage. The name hyaline is derived from the greek word hyalos, meaning glass. This refers to the translucent matrix or ground substance. Hyaline cartilage is found lining bones in joints (articular cartilage) . It is also present inside bones, serving as a center of ossification or bone growth...

Elastic cartilage

Elastic cartilage (also called yellow cartilage) is found in the pinna of the ear and several tubes, such as the walls of the auditory and eustachian canals and larynx. Cartilage is present to keep the tubes permanently open. Elastic cartilage is similar to hyaline cartilage but contains elastic bundles (elastin) scattered throughout the matrix. This provides a tissue which is stiff yet elastic.

Fibrocartilage

Fibrocartilage (also called white cartilage) is a specialised type of cartilage found in areas requiring tough support or great tensile strength, such as between intervertebral disks, the pubic and other symphyses, and at sites connecting tendons or ligaments to bones. There is rarely any clear line of demarcation between fibrocartilage and the neighboring hyaline cartilage or connective tissue. The fibrocartilage found in intervertebral disks contains more collagen compared to hyaline. Fibrocartilage lacks a perichondrium.

Growth and development

Chondrification

Most of the skeletal system is derived from mesoderm tissue. Chondrification is the process in which cartilage is formed from condensed mesenchyme tissue, which differentiates into chondrocytes and begins secreting the materials that form the matrix.

Mineralisation

Adult hyaline articular cartilage is progressively mineralised at the junction between cartilage and bone. It is then termed articular calcified cartilage. A mineralisation front advances through the base of the hyaline articular cartilage at a rate dependent on cartilage load and shear stress. Intermittent variations in the rate of advance and mineral deposition density of the mineralising front lead to multiple tidemarks in the articular calcified cartilage. Adult articular calcified cartilage is penetrated by vascular buds, and new bone produced in the vascular space in a process similar to endochondral ossification at the physis. A cement line demarcates articular calcified cartilage from subchondral bone. Two types of growth can occur in cartilage: appositional and interstitial.

Appositional

Appositional growth results in the increase of the diameter or thickness of the cartilage. The new cells derive from the perichondrium and occur on the surface of the cartilage model.

Interstitial

Interstitial growth results in an increase of cartilage mass and occurs from within. Chondrocytes undergo mitosis within their lacuna but remain imprisoned in the matrix, which results in clusters of cells called isogenous groups.

Cartilage in fetal development

In the fetus, at an early period, the greater part of the skeleton is cartilaginous; as this cartilage is afterward replaced by bone, it is called temporary, in contradistinction to that which remains unossified during the whole of life, and is called permanent. It has been said that the cartilage in ears and noses continues to grow in size throughout adult life; however, this seems to be an urban myth which is not substantiated by research.

Diseases / Medicine

There are several diseases which can affect the cartilage. Chondrodystrophies are a group of diseases characterized by disturbance of growth and subsequent ossification of cartilage. Some common diseases affecting/involving the cartilage are listed below.
- Arthritis: The cartilage covering bones in joints (articular cartilage) is degraded, resulting in limitation of movement and pain.
- Achondroplasia: Reduced proliferation of chondrocytes in the epiphyseal plate of long bones results in a form of dwarfism.
- Costochondritis: Inflammation of cartilage in the ribs which causes chest pain
- Herniated disk: Asymmetrical compression of a disk ruptures the cartilage ring, causing tissue to herniate into the spinal canal. The matrix of cartilage acts as a barrier, preventing the entry of lymphocytes or diffusion of immunoglobulins. This property allows for the transplantation of cartilage from one individual to another without fear of tissue rejection. Bioengineering techniques are being developed to generate new cartilage, using a cellular "scaffolding" material and cultured cells to grow artificial cartilage.

Fibrocartilage

Fibrocartilage, as its name implies, is a type of cartilage arranged in a fibrous matrix that is similar to fibrous connective tissies. It is found in areas that require tensile strength, such as invertebral disks. Chondrocytes are separated by dense bundles of collagenous fibers. Chondrocytes are usually arranged in short rows of 3 or 4. When hyaline cartilage, the shiny white gristle at the end of long bones, is damaged, it is often replaced with fibrocartilage, though it remains a poorer substitue.

Invertebrate cartilage

Cartilage tissue can also be found among invertebrates, for instance Limulus (horse-shoe crab), marine snails and cephalopods.

External links

- University of Kansas Medical Center [http://www.kumc.edu/instruction/medicine/anatomy/histoweb/cart/cart.htm Cartilage tutorial]
- public domain [http://www.bartleby.com/107/pages/page279.html text from Gray's anatomy] dated 1918, so probably needs updating
- [http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/Mar2003/1048719208.Dv.r.html I've heard 'Ears and nose do not ever stop growing.' Is this true?] Category:Skeletal system Category:Tissues

Rami

- Rami is originally an Arabic name derived from the verb "to throw" and therefore it means "the one who throws (arrows)" i.e. archer. It is a popular name among Arabs and Jews in the Levant.
- Rami is also derived from the Arabic/Hebrew name Abraham
- Rami is also plural of latin word Ramus
- Rami translates in modern Arabic/Hevrit to sniper
- It is also an alternative spelling of Ramie
- Rami is a music writer/producer who worked with Max Martin Category:Disambiguation

Pubis

In human anatomy or in mammals in general, the mons pubis (Latin, pubic mound) is the soft mound of flesh present in both genders just above the genitals, raised above the surrounding area due to a pad of fat lying just beneath it which protects the pubic bone. After puberty it is normally covered with pubic hair to a greater or lesser extent, as may be the labia majora in females or the scrotal sac in males. In females this fleshy area above the vulva is also called the mons veneris (Latin, mound of Venus).
Category:pelvis

External genitalia

A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; namely:
- Male: penis (notably the glans penis and foreskin), testicles, scrotum, prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymis, Cowper's glands
- Female: vulva (notably the clitoris and labia), vagina, cervix, uterus, Fallopian tubes, ovaries, Skene's glands, Bartholin's glands. More generally and popularly, the term sex organ refers to any part of the body involved in erotic pleasure. The larger list would certainly include the anus for either sex, the prepuce, the breasts (especially the nipples) for females, and the nipples for males. The Latin term genitalia is used to describe the sex organs, and in the English language this term and genital area are most often used to describe the externally visible sex organs or external genitalia: in males the penis and scrotum, in females the vulva. The other parts of the sex organs are called the internal genitalia. A gonad is a sex organ that produces gametes, specifically the testes or ovaries in humans. Organs of sexual anatomy originate from a common anlage and differentiate into male or female sex organs. The SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome and encoding the testis determining factor, decides the direction of this differentiation. Each sexual organ in one sex has a homologous counterpart in the other one. See a list of homologues of the human reproductive system.

Anatomical terms related to sex

The following is a list of anatomical terms related to sex and sexuality:
- areola
- Bartholin's gland -- breast -- bulbocavernosus muscle -- bulbospongiosus muscle -- bulbourethral gland
- cervix -- clitoris -- common penile artery -- corona glandis -- corpora cavernosa -- corpus cavernosum -- corpus spongiosum -- Cowper's glands-- cremaster muscle
- dartos muscle -- ductus deferens
- ejaculatory duct -- endometrium -- epididymis
- Fallopian tube -- foreskin -- frenulum -- frenulum preputii penis -- frenulum labiorum pudendi -- frenulum clitoridis -- frenum -- fundiform ligament
- G-spot -- Gartner's duct -- genital tubercle -- genitofemoral nerve -- glans -- glans penis -- Gräfenberg spot
- hymen
- internal pudendal artery -- ischiocavernosus muscle
- labium -- labia majora -- labia minora
- mammae -- mammary gland -- meatus -- mons veneris -- Mullerian duct
- nipple
- ovary -- ovum -- oviducts
- penis -- penile suspensory ligament -- perineum -- prepuce -- prostate -- pubic hair -- pubic symphysis -- pubococcygeus muscle -- pudendal nerve
- raphe -- ridged band
- scrotum -- seminal vesicles -- semeniferous tubules -- Skene's glands -- sperm -- spermatic cord -- sphincter urethrae membranaceae -- splanchnic nerves
- testes -- testicle -- tunica albuginea
- urethra -- urethral sponge -- urogenital diaphragm -- uterus
- vas deferens -- vagina -- vesiculae seminales -- vomeronasal organ -- vulva
- Wolffian duct See also: sex, human sexuality, sexual behavior, Obstetrics and gynecology, circumcision, castration, intersex, List of transgender-related topics, intimate parts, secondary sex characteristics, body modification, genital modification and mutilation, Sexual fetishism Category:Reproductive system Category:Sexual anatomy ja:生殖器

Vulva

is obscured by the folds of the labia minora in this photo.]] The external genital organs of the female are collectively known as the vulva (or pudenda). In human beings this consists of the labia majora and labia minora (while these names translate as "large" and "small" lips, often the "minora" can be larger, and protrude outside the "majora"), clitoris, opening of the urethra (meatus), and the opening of the vagina. The main functions involving the vulva are urination, sexual behavior, menstruation, and childbirth. (In common speech, the term "vagina" is often used improperly to refer to the vulva or female genitals generally, even though strictly speaking the vagina is a specific internal structure and the vulva is the exterior genitalia only. Calling the vulva the vagina is akin to calling the mouth the throat.)

Description

The soft mound at the front of the vulva (fatty tissue covering the pubic bone) is the mons pubis, or specifically for human females, the mons veneris or "mound of Venus". After puberty it is covered with pubic hair to some extent, the amount being determined primarily by heredity. The labia majora or large lips extend on either side of the vulva, and may also be covered with pubic hair. The labia majora entirely or partially hide the other parts of the vulva. The colour of the outside skin of the labia majora is usually close to the overall skin colour of the individual, although there is considerable variation. The inside skin is often pink or brownish. The labia minora are two soft folds of skin within the labia majora and to either side of the opening of the vagina. The clitoris is at the front of the vulva where the labia minora meet. The visible tip of the clitoris, the clitoral glans is entirely or partially covered by a 'hood' of tissue (the clitoral hood). The opening of the vagina is near the back (or bottom) end of the vulva; the much smaller opening of the urethra is between the clitoris and vagina. In women who have not yet had sexual intercourse, the opening of the vagina is sometimes partially covered by a piece of skin, the hymen. "Opening of the vagina" is something of a misnomer, as the vagina is normally not open but collapsed and the walls of the vagina touch each other. Slightly below and to the left and right of the vaginal opening are two Bartholin glands; when the woman is sexually aroused, she produces a lubricating substance that makes sexual penetration easier (the vagina also exudes vaginal lubrication). If this lubrication is insufficient, artificial lubrication may be used to facilitate sexual intercourse. The area between the vulva and the anus is the perineum. The perineum may tear during childbirth. To prevent this, doctors may perform an Episiotomy, surgically cutting the perineum. which some believe to be more sterile. However, some believe that a natural tear has a lower instance of infection. The appearance of the vulva and the size of the various parts varies a great deal from one woman to another, and it is common for the left and right sides to not "match" exactly in an individual woman.

Relation to male genitals

The anatomy of the vulva is related to the anatomy of the male genitalia by a common developmental biology. Organs that have a common developmental ancestry in this way are said to be homologous. The clitoral glans is homologous to the glans penis in males, and the clitoral body and the clitoral crura, are homologous to the corpora cavernosa of the penis. The labia majora, labia minora and clitoral hood are homologous to the scrotum, shaft skin of the penis, and the foreskin, respectively. The vestibular bulbs beneath the skin of the labia minora are homologous to the corpus spongiosum, the tissue of the penis surrounding the urethra. The Bartholin's glands are homologous to Cowper's glands in males.

Cultural attitudes

In some cultures, including modern Western culture, some women have shaved or otherwise depilated part or all of the vulva. This is a fairly recent phenomenon in the United States. It began with high-cut swimsuits that compelled their wearers to shave the sides of their pubic triangles, giving them what Joy Behar once called "that Adolf Hitler look". It progressed to shaving nearly all of it except a "racing stripe" (on either side of the lips) or "landing strip" (directly above and in line with the vulva); and finally, total removal, for any number of personal reasons. Many cultures have commonly viewed the vulva as something shameful that should be hidden; the term pudendum literally means "shameful thing." However, in some other cultures it has been celebrated and even worshipped. In some Hindu sects the vulva is revered under the name yoni, and texts seem to indicate a similar attitude in some ancient Middle Eastern religions. As an aspect of Goddess worship such reverence may be part of modern Neopagan or Wiccan beliefs, and may be indicated in paleolithic artworks. Some cultures consider the vulva to be "unclean" and go as far as to advocate female circumcision. In the past many sculptors and painters chose not to display vulvas in their works, even when depicting nude women. The pubic region was often covered with a piece of cloth, fig leaf or a hand. When it was displayed, it usually lacked pubic hair and the vulva, even though the vulva would be visible on a real woman in that particular pose. In modern times Japanese anime artists often depict female characters without vulvas (even in hentai pornography) to comply with censorship laws. Because for most of history vulvas were neither displayed by women, nor shown in art, aesthetic standards for the vulva in the West developed after visual pornography became more widespread. Currently, color desaturation is often used to purge photographic images of associations with pornography.

Popular culture

The title of John Cleland's erotic classic, Fanny Hill, or the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, is a punning reference to this anatomical feature: 'Fanny' being a British English slang term for the vulva. The terms Camel toe, Moose knuckle, and Cat's paw describe a condition produced when wearing pants/shorts so tight that the vulva becomes clearly visible. In one of his older skits called "The Bookmobile", David Letterman produced an alleged book by Dr. Ruth Westheimer, entitled The 100 Dumbest Questions I've Been Asked. Number 17: "Why does she want me to touch her Volvo?" In a Seinfeld episode, Jerry Seinfeld does not remember his date's name - he only remembers that it rhymes with a female body part. His guess of "Mulva" is not successful.

External links

- [http://www.the-clitoris.com/n_html/n_v_image1.htm The Vulva Revealed] - Extensive descriptions and numerous illustrations showing the large variations in vulva shape among women
- [http://www.scarleteen.com/body/female_anatomy.html Pink Parts] - "Walk through" of female sexual anatomy by noted sex activist and educator Heather Corinna (illustrations; no explicit photos)
- [http://www.vulvavelvet.org/pictures.html Vulva Images] - Views of human vulvas. Some may consider explicit Category:reproductive system Category:gynecology ja:女性器 ko:여자의 성기

Penis

The penis (plural penises) is in addition to the scrotum one of the external male sexual organs. Other terms for it are: the (male) member or - for the erect state - the phallus. The penis is the male reproductive organ and for mammals additionally serves as the external male organ of urination. The penis is homologous to the female clitoris and in the theory of evolution, it originated from the same embryonic structure.

Linguistics

Etymology

The word is derived from the Latin word for tail, also used to describe the organ, "penis". The Latin word "phallus" (from the Greek "phallos") is sometimes used to describe the penis, though the word originally was used to describe images, pictoral or carved, of the penis [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=penis&searchmode=none]. Some derive the Latin word penis from earlier
- pesnis, and the Greek word peos = "penis" from earlier
- pesos.

Synonyms

For a far more exhaustive and multi-lingual thesaurus, see the entry on [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/WikiSaurus:penis WikiSaurus].

The human penis

The human penis differs from those of some other mammals. It has no baculum, or erectile bone; instead it relies entirely on engorgement with blood to reach its erect state. It cannot be withdrawn into the groin, and is larger than average in proportion to body mass.

Structure

baculum The human penis is made up of three columns of erectile tissue:
- the two corpora cavernosa (singular: corpus cavernosum) and
- one corpus spongiosum The corpus spongiosum lies on the underside (known also as the ventral side) of the penis; the two corpora cavernosa lie next to each other on the upper side (dorsal side). The end of the corpus spongiosum is enlarged and cone-shaped and forms the glans penis. The glans supports the foreskin or prepuce, a loose fold of skin that in adults can retract to expose the glans. The area on the underside of the penis, where the foreskin is attached, is called the frenum (or frenulum). The urethra, which is the last part of the urinary tract, traverses the corpus spongiosum and its opening, known as the meatus, lies on the tip of the glans penis. It is both a passage for urine and for the ejaculation of semen. Sperm is produced in the testes and stored in the attached epididymis. During ejaculation, sperm are propelled up the vas deferens, two ducts that pass over and behind the bladder. Fluids are added by the seminal vesicles and the vas deferens turns into the ejaculatory ducts which join the urethra inside the prostate gland. The prostate as well as the bulbourethral glands add further secretions, and the semen is expelled through the penis. The raphe is the visible ridge between the lateral halves of the penis, found on the ventral or under side of the penis, running from the meatus (opening of the urethra) across the scrotum to the perineum (area between scrotum and anus).

Relation to female genitals

The glans of the penis is homologous to the clitoral glans, the corpora cavernosa are homologous to the body of the clitoris, the corpus spongiosum is homologous to the vestibular bulbs beneath the labia minora, and the scrotum is homologous to the labia minora, labia majora and clitoral hood. The raphe does not exist in females, because there the two halves are not connected.

Erection

Main article: Erection Erection Erection is the stiffening and rising of the penis which occurs in the sexually aroused male, though it can also happen in non-sexual situations. The primary physiological mechanism that brings about erection is the autonomic dilation of arteries supplying blood to the penis, which allows more blood to fill the three spongy erectile tissue chambers in the penis, causing it to lengthen and stiffen. The now engorged erectile tissue presses against and constricts the veins that carry blood away from the penis. More blood enters the penis than leaves until an equilibrium is reached (equal volume of blood flowing into the dilated arteries and out of the constricted veins). A constant erectile size is achieved at equilibrium. Inability to attain a satisfactory erection is known medically as erectile dysfunction, or ED in short. A drug against this condition, sildenafil citrate (marketed as Viagra®) works by vasodilation. Erection facilitates sexual intercourse though it is not essential for some other sexual activities. Although many erect penises point upwards (see illustration), it is common and normal for the erect penis to point nearly vertically upwards or nearly vertically downwards, depending on the tension of the suspensory ligament that holds it in position. Stiffness of erectile angle also varies.

Size

See main article Human penis size As a general rule, an animal's penis is proportional to its body size, but this varies greatly between species — even between closely related species. For example, an adult gorilla's erect penis is about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in length; an adult chimpanzee, significantly smaller (in body size) than a gorilla, has a penis size about double that of the gorilla. The common chimpanzee, or pan troglodytes, has the third largest penis size among the great apes: in comparison, the human penis is somewhat larger than the common chimpanzee, both proportional to body size and in absolute terms; one study has found that the average human penis is 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length when fully engorged with blood during arousal. As with any other bodily attribute, the length and girth of the penis is highly variable between individuals of the same species. In many animals, especially mammals, the size of a flaccid penis is much smaller than its size when erect. In humans and some other species, flaccid vs. erect penis size varies greatly between individuals, such that penis size when flaccid is not a reliable predictor of size when erect. Except for extreme cases at either end of the size spectrum, penis size does not correspond strongly to reproductive ability in almost any species.

Normal variations

Depending on temperature, a flaccid (not erect) penis of average size can withdraw almost completely within the body. During erection the penis will return to its normal (erect) size. Other variations:
- Pearly penile papules are raised bumps of somewhat paler colour around the base of the glans and are normal. See sidebar picture and picture at article.
- Fordyce's spots are small, raised, yellowish-white spots 1-2mm in diameter that may appear on the penis, as well as the inner surface and vermilion border of the lips of the face, and are normal.
- Sebaceous prominences are raised bumps similar to Fordyce's spots on the shaft of the penis, located at the sebaceous glands and are normal.
- Phimosis, an inability to retract the foreskin fully, is harmless in infants and pre-pubescent males, occurring in about 8 percent of boys at age 10.

Disorders affecting the penis

Oedema (swelling) of the foreskin can result from sexual activity, including masturbation. It appears worrying but so long as the foreskin is in its normal position and blood flow is present it's harmless. See paraphimosis for situations where the foreskin can't be moved to its normal position or the swelling persists. If the condition recurrs regularly, medical advice should be obtained, since it can be a symptom of conditions such as chronic heart disease. ([http://www.links.net/vita/corp/catdick/ description of a case resulting from sexual activity, with pictures]) Pathological Phimosis--where a non-retracting foreskin is accompanied by pain or physiological distress, or affects physical hygiene, requires treatment which can be surgical or non-surgical depending on the seriousness of the condition. See Phimosis for more details. Paraphimosis is an inability to move the foreskin forward over the glans. It can result from fluid trapped in a foreskin which is left retracted, perhaps following a medical procedure, or accumulation of fluid in the foreskin because of friction during vigorous sexual activity. Applying pressure to compress the glans, then moving the foreskin to its normal position is the initial procedure to follow, perhaps with the assistance of a lubricant. Placing the penis in normal granulated sugar can reduce the swelling via osmosis. If the condition persists for more than several hours or there is a sign of lack of blood flow, a hard glans with no erection or an inability to urinate, it should be treated as a medical emergency. In Peyronie's disease, anomalous scar tissue grows in the soft tissue of the penis, causing curvature. Severe cases can benefit from surgical correction. A thrombosis can occur during periods of frequent and prolonged sexual activity, especially fellatio. It is usually harmless and self-corrects within a few weeks. Pudendal nerve entrapment is a condition characterized by pain on sitting and loss of penile (or clitoral) sensation and orgasm. Occasionally there is a total loss of sensation and orgasm. The pudendal nerve can be damaged by narrow hard cycle seats and accidents. Penile fracture can occur if the erect penis is bent excessively. A pop or cracking sound and pain is normally associated with this event. Emergency medical assistance should be obtained. Prompt medical attention lowers likelihood of permanent penile curvature.[http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1464-410X.1996.86420.x/abs/] In diabetes, peripheral neuropathy can cause tingling in the penile skin and possibly reduced or completely absent sensation. The reduced sensations can lead to injuries for either partner and their absence can make it impossible to have sexual pleasure through stimulation of the penis. Since the problems are caused by permanent nerve damage, preventive treatment through good control of the diabetes is the primary treatment. Some limited recovery may be possible through improved diabetes control. Erectile dysfunction, formerly known as impotence, is the inability to have and maintain an erection sufficiently firm for satisfactory sexual performance. A wide variety of generally effective treatments are available. Diabetes is a leading cause, as is normal aging. Priapism is a painful and potentially harmful medical condition in which the erect penis does not return to its flaccid state. The causative mechanisms are poorly understood but involve complex neurological and vascular factors. Potential complications include ischaemia, thrombosis, and impotence. In serious cases the condition may result in gangrene, which may necessitate amputation.

Developmental disorders of the penis

Hypospadias is a developmental disorder where the meatus is positioned wrongly at birth. Hypospadias can also occur iatrogenically by the downward pressure of an indwelling urethral catheter.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9554017] It is usually corrected by surgery. A micropenis is a very small penis caused by developmental or congenital problems.

Penis replacement

The first successful penis allotransplant surgery was done on September 2005 in a military hospital in Guangzhou, China. (Guangzhou Daily, [http://www.southcn.com/news/gdnews/nanyuetuijian/200509220074.htm source]) A man at 44 sustained an injury after an accident and his penis was severed. Urination became difficult as his urethra was partly blocked. A newly brain-dead man, at 23, was tracked down and his penis selected for the transplant. Despite atrophy of blood vessels and nerves after a protracted period of time had elapsed (exact length not given), the arteries, veins, nerves and the corpora spongiosa were successfully matched. After seven hours' surgery, the penis regained its function and even managed to attain erection. The difficulty in this surgery is attributable to these demands: The shape of the donor's penis must sufficiently match that of the receiver's and the duration between detaching and attaching the penis must be short. It remains to be observed if infection or rejection has occurred after the transplant and how much sexual function the man would regain. Urination ability, however, is predicted to resume after a week.

Alleged and observed penis-related psychological disorders

- penis panic (koro in Malaysian/Indonesian) - delusion of shrinkage of the penis and retraction into the body.
- penis envy - the contested Freudian belief of a woman envying men for having a penis.

Altering the male genitalia

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Uncircumcised penis (L), circumcised penis (R).

Main article: genital modification and mutilation The most prevalent form of genital alteration in some countries is circumcision: removal of part or all of the foreskin for various cultural, religious, and more rarely medical reasons. In many cases, such as in some United States hospitals, the frenulum and part of the shaft skin is also removed. Circumcision likely arose in the Middle East desert to avoid the effects of desert sand getting under the foreskin; the practice has been incorporated into organised religions which originated in desert areas such as Islam and Judaism. Secular reasons for circumcision, however, have been disputed. Less commonly, the penis is sometimes pierced or decorated by other body art. Such alterations are almost universally elective and usually for the purpose of aesthetics or increased sensitivity. Piercings of the penis include the Prince Albert piercing, the apadravya piercing, the ampallang piercing, the dydoe piercing, and the frenum piercing. Foreskin restoration or stretching is a further form of body modification. Other practices which alter the penis are also performed, although they are rare in Western societies without a diagnosed medical condition. Apart from a penectomy, perhaps the most radical of these is subincision, in which the urethra is split along the underside of the penis. Subincision originated among Australian Aborigines, although it is now done by some in the U.S. and Europe.

Fears and reassurance

Possibly due to shame inculcated in regard to genitalia, some people suffer from misunderstandings and resultant fear. Penis panic is a kind of hysteria that appears to be culturally conditioned and largely limited to Sudan, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. As mentioned earlier, the raphe is the visible ridge between the lateral halves of the penis, found on the ventral or under side of the penis, running from the meatus (opening of the urethra) across the scrotum to the perineum (area between scrotum and anus). This ridge is actually the "biological zipper" that closes the urethra during the normal course of fetal development. When the urethra does not close normally, the resulting condition is called hypospadias. Surgery is required to close the urethra. Treatment may involve multiple surgeries and attendant pain. Other beliefs involve the idea that masturbation can cause insanity or blindness. In childhood, according to the study Paediatric penile trauma, male circumcision is the most common form of genital trauma; it occurred in two-thirds of the physical traumas examined. (El-Bahnasawy 2002) [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/bju/2002/00000090/00000001/art02741]

Non-human penises

masturbation Most marsupials, except for the two largest species of kangaroos, have a bifurcated penis. That is, it separates into two columns, and so the penis has two ends. The barnacle has the longest penis for its own length: up to twenty times the length of the animal. Urban legend alleges that the dolphin has prehensile control over his penis. In the realm of absolute size, the smallest penis belongs to the common shrew (5 mm or 0.2 inches). The largest penis belongs to the blue whale estimated at over 2 m (about 6 feet). Accurate measurements are difficult to take because the whale's erect length can only be observed during mating. The Icelandic Phallological Museum is devoted entirely to collecting penis specimens from all the land and sea mammals living in Iceland. The museum has received a legally-certified gift token for a future specimen belonging to Homo sapiens. In male insects, the structure homologous to a penis is known as aedeagus. Male specimes of the Squamata order of reptiles have two paired organs called hemipenes. Gorillas have relatively small penises, so it is an often used subtle insult in countries such as Australia to insinuate or directly state that one is 'hung like a gorilla'.

Cultural aspects involving penises

Uses of animal penises

- Culinary, e.g., in Chinese gastronomy
- Magical and therapeutic, in medicine and/or superstition, especially as an aphrodisiac or even cure against impotence
- Also used for dog toys, such as the bull pizzle

Uses of human penises in cultural traditions

- Esthetical, e.g., Body modification
- For the symbolic and artistic use, see under phallus
- In humor, e.g., in scatology - considered indecent or completely taboo in various cultures

External links

- [http://www.phallus.is/ The Icelandic Phallological Museum], collection of over one hundred and fifty penises and penile parts belonging to almost all the land and sea mammals that can be found in Iceland
- [http://www.neo-tech.com/penis/ Penis Size Chart] (actual-size chart suitable for printing out and comparing)
- [http://www.afraidtoask.com/members/index.html AfraidToAsk.com's Male Genitalia Guide]
- [http://www.my-penis.org/ All About the Penis]
- [http://www.the-penis-website.com/ The Penis Website]
- [http://www.penisowner.com/pom/pom.html Shagnasty's Penis Owners Manual]
- [http://www.the-penis.com A Website About the Penis and Male Sexuality]
- [http://www.edu.uni-klu.ac.at/~amiklaut/dr_nick/answer19.htm Summary Penis Size data]
- [http://www.the-penis.com/mythsandfacts.html Details Penis Size Data]
- [http://www.indiana.edu/~kinsey/resources/bib-penis.html Kinsey Institute on the penis]
- [http://www.askmen.com/sports/health/health4.html Ask Men about penis]
- [http://www.circumstitions.com/Glossary.html A Glossary of the Penis] Note: This is an anti-circumcision website.
- [http://www.cirp.org/pages/anat/ Anatomy of the Penis - Mechanics of Intercourse] Note: This is an anti-circumcision website.
- [http://www.circumstitions.com/Restric/Gallery1.html A gallery of uncircumcised penises] Category:andrology Category:reproductive system Category:Sexual anatomy ja:陰茎 ko:남자의 성기 ms:Zakar simple:Penis

Clitoris

The clitoris is a sexual organ in the body of female mammals. The visible knob-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the vagina. Its particular function is inducing sexual pleasure and orgasms. The word: clitoris can be pronounced KLIHT uh rihs ( in IPA notation )) or klih TOHR ihs ( )). The OED suggests that KLY tor ihs () is also used in the UK.

Development and formation

UK UK UK The female clitoris corresponds to homologous parts of the male penis, i.e., embryologically it comes from the same tissue that forms the penis. The trigger for forming a penis instead of a clitoris is the action of testosterone in utero. The organ is formed out of corpus cavernosum, a rich collection of capillary tissue with a substantial presence of nerve tissue. It is particularly well-suited for sexual stimulation. The outside portion of the clitoris, the clitoral glans, is entirely or partially covered by the clitoral hood or prepuce, tissue that is homologous to the foreskin in males and beneath which smegma is formed and may collect. In humans, the clitoral body then extends several centimeters upwards and to the back, before splitting into two arms, the clitoral crura. Shaped like an inverted "V", these crura extend around and to the interior of the labia majora. Including external and internal components, it is thought the clitoris is similar in size to the penis. Most of the clitoris is hidden, and external stimulation of the entire clitoris can result in a more profound sexual response. There is considerable variation among women with regard to how much of the clitoris protrudes from the hood and how much is covered by it, ranging from complete, covered invisibility to full, protruding visibility. One explanation advanced for the vaginal orgasm is that it results from stimulation of the internal parts of the clitoris during vaginal penetration. Nevertheless, some women experience both clitoral and vaginal orgasms and distinguish between them in terms of both the physical and general sensations associated with each. During sexual arousal, the clitoris enlarges as its erectile tissue fills with blood. Shortly before orgasm, this erection often increases further, drawing the clitoris upwards, so that viewed from the outside it actually appears to shrink.

Recognition of existence

Medical literature first recognised the existence of the clitoris in the 16th century. This is the subject of some dispute: Realdo Colombo (also known as Matteo Renaldo Colombo) was a lecturer in surgery at the University of Padua, Italy, and in 1559 he published a book called De re anatomica in which he described the "seat of woman's delight". Colombo concluded, "Since no one has discerned these projections and their workings, if it is permissible to give names to things discovered by me, it should be called the love or sweetness of Venus." Colombo's claim was disputed by his successor at Padua, Gabriele Falloppio (who discovered the fallopian tube), who claimed that he was the first to discover the clitoris. Caspar Bartholin, a 17th century Danish anatomist, dismissed both claims, arguing that the clitoris had been widely known to medical science since the 2nd century.[http://www.doctorweevil.org/archives/000470.html] Noted researchers Masters and Johnson, Boston based researcher John Garabedian, and Dr. Matt Jaeger at the University of Kentucky all conducted extensive studies of the clitoris. In the 1970s, the word clitoris was considered offensive in the spoken English language and is still seen as a taboo word by many people. The first use of clitoris on television in the United States is believed to have been by Dr. Rich O'Brien, a Harvard colleague of Garabedian's, on the Dr. Ruth Westheimer show.

Body modification

Main article: genital modification and mutilation The external part of the clitoris may be partially or totally removed during female circumcision in voluntary or involuntary procedures. The topic is highly controversial with many countries condemning the traditions that give rise to involuntary procedures with some countries outlawing even voluntary procedures. Amnesty International estimates that over 2 million involuntary female circumcisions are being performed every year, mainly in African countries. In various cultures, the clitoris is sometimes pierced. Piercings of the clitoris include a piercing of the clitoral hood, and the Isabella piercing, among many others. Some cultures at various times in history have practiced stretching, which can enlarge the clitoris, or can make it more visible.

Popular culture

- In a Seinfeld episode, Jerry Seinfeld does not remember his date's name - he only remembers that it rhymes with a female body part. His first guess of "Mulva" is off the mark. It finally comes to him: "Dolores".
- Alice Walker's Possessing the Secret of Joy is a book about a tribal African Woman, Tashi, who because of a misguided loyalty to the customs of her people voluntarily submits herself to tsunga's knife and is circumcised. She is severely traumatized by this experience. The book encapsulates her journey through life as she tries to regain her ability to recognize her own reality and to feel.
- The Anatomist (1998), a novel by Federico Andahazi ISBN 0385494009, describes Realdo Colombo's "discovery" and its personal consequences.
- In a Family Guy episode, Tom Tucker announces an upcoming report on "the Clitoris, nature's Rubik's Cube."

External links

- [http://www.the-clitoris.com/ The-Clitoris.com] – a very thorough website about everything related to the clitoris Warning - site contains explicit photos
- [http://www.luckymojo.com/tkclitorislarger.html Study claims clitoris is larger than thought] by Althaea Yronwode
- [http://www.scarleteen.com/body/female_anatomy.html Pink Parts] - "Walk through" of female sexual anatomy by noted sex activist and educator Heather Corinna (illustrations; no explicit photos)

Illustrations

- [http://www.the-clitoris.com/n_html/n_netter.htm The Ciba Collection of Medical Illustrations: Vol.2, Reproductive System] by Frank H. Netter, M.D. comparing female and male reproductive systems development and anatomy
- [http://www.the-clitoris.com/n_html/n_anat_a.htm Illustrations from Clinical Anatomy Principles] by Lawrence H. Mathers, Jr. et al. comparing clitoris and penis anatomy
- [http://www.the-clitoris.com/n_html/n_develop.htm Development of the Female Sexual & Reproductive Organs] – illustrations comparing clitoris and penis during the early development Category:Reproductive system Category:Gynecology als:Klitoris ja:陰核

Category:Pelvis

This category contains structures making up the pelvis or contained within it. Category:Human anatomy

Brian Harrison

Father Brian Harrison, O.S., M.A., S.T.D., is a prominent Catholic theologian and a prolific writer on religious issues. He is doctrinally conservative, but opposes the excesses of the traditionalist movement e.g. those who criticise the actual texts of the Second Vatican Council, rather than incorrect interpretations of it. He is also a forthright opponent of the sedevacantist theory. He is a professor at the Pontifical University of Puerto Rico.

External Links

- [http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0103fea1.asp Article opposing sedevacantist theory]
- [http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0301fea4.asp Article defending Vatican II teaching on Muslims]

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