Skene's gland
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
In human anatomy (female), the Skene's glands (also known as the lesser vestibular, periurethral glands, paraurethral glands[1], or female prostate) are glands located on the upper wall of the vagina, around the lower end of the urethra. They drain into the urethra and near the urethral opening. These glands are surrounded with tissue, which includes the part of the clitoris that reaches up inside the vagina and swells with blood during sexual arousal.
Relation with orgasm
There is some evidence that nerves in the area produce an orgasm different to the one produced by clitoral stimulation.
Homology and possible functions
The location of the Skene's gland is the general area of the urethral sponge. The Skene's glands are homologous with the prostate gland in males.[2]
Female ejaculation
Some believe that the Skene's glands are the source of female ejaculation.[3] In 2002, Emanuele Jannini of L'Aquila University in Italy showed that there may be an explanation both for the phenomenon and for the frequent denials of its existence. Skene's glands have highly variable anatomy, and in some extreme cases they appear to be missing entirely. If Skene's glands are the cause of female ejaculation and G-spot-orgasms, this may explain the observed absence of these phenomena in many women.[4][5]
Female prostate
The fluid that emerges during female ejaculation has a composition similar to the fluid generated in males by the prostate gland,[6] containing biochemical markers of sexual function like Human Protein 1[7] and the enzyme PDE5. When examined with electron microscopy, both glands show similar secretory structures,[8] and both act similarly in terms of prostate-specific antigen and prostate-specific acid phosphatase studies.[9][10][11][12] Because they are increasingly perceived as merely different versions of the same gland, some researchers are moving away from the name Skene's gland and referring to it instead as the female prostate.[13]
Eponym
The glands were named after the physician who described them first, Alexander Skene.[14]
See also
- Female ejaculation
- Vaginal orgasm
- Prostate
- Pudendal nerve
- Bartholin's gland
- Wolffian duct
- List of homologues of the human reproductive system
References
- ↑ Template:Dorlands
- ↑ Zaviacic M, Jakubovská V, Belosovic M, Breza J (2000). "Ultrastructure of the normal adult human female prostate gland (Skene's gland)". Anat Embryol (Berl). 201 (1): 51–61. PMID 10603093.
- ↑ Rabinerson, D (2007). "G-spot and female ejaculation: fiction or reality?". Harefuah. 146 (2): 145–7, 163. PMID 17352286. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Jannini E, Simonelli C, Lenzi A (2002). "Sexological approach to ejaculatory dysfunction". Int J Androl. 25 (6): 317–23. PMID 12406363.
- ↑ Jannini E, Simonelli C, Lenzi A (2002). "Disorders of ejaculation". J Endocrinol Invest. 25 (11): 1006–19. PMID 12553564.
- ↑ Kratochvíl S (1994). "Orgasmic expulsions in women". Cesk Psychiatr. 90 (2): 71–7. PMID 8004685.
- ↑ Zaviacic, M (1997). "Immunohistochemical localization of human protein 1 in the female prostate (Skene's gland) and the male prostate". Histochem J. 29 (3): 219–27. PMID 9472384. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Zaviacic, Z (2000). "Ultrastructure of the normal adult human female prostate gland (Skene's gland)". Anat Embryol (Berl). 201 (1): 51–61. PMID 10603093. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Zaviacic, Z (1994). "The significance of prostate markers in the orthology of the female prostate". Bratisl Lek Listy. 95 (11): 491–7. PMID 7533639. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Wernert, N (1992). "The 'female prostate': location, morphology, immunohistochemical characteristics and significance". Eur Urol. 22 (1): 64–9. PMID 1385145. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Tepper, SL (1984). "Homology between the female paraurethral (Skene's) glands and the prostate. Immunohistochemical demonstration". Arch Pathol Lab Med. 108 (5): 423–5. PMID 6546868. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Pollen, JJ (1984). "Immunohistochemical identification of prostatic acid phosphatase and prostate specific antigen in female periurethral glands". Urology. 23 (3): 303–4. PMID 6199882. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Zaviacic, Z (2000). "The female prostate and prostate-specific antigen. Immunohistochemical localization, implications of this prostate marker in women and reasons for using the term "prostate" in the human female". Histol Histopathol. 15 (1): 131–42. PMID 10668204. Retrieved 2007-06-22. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Template:WhoNamedIt
External links
- The paraurethral glands in scientific literature
- New Scientist story
- Sexuality.org G-spot information page
Template:Female reproductive system
cs:Skeneho žlázy de:Paraurethraldrüse dv:ސްކީންސް ގްލޭންޑް lt:Skeno liauka nl:Para-urethrale klieren simple:Skene's gland sv:Skenes körtlar