Penile Anatomy

The penis serves two main functions in the body. It provides the ability to remove waste from the body in the form of urine, and secondly, the penis is the transportation vessel for sperm. This allows the body to cleanse itself and allows for the continuation of a species.

Penis's Main Parts

In terms of humans, the penis has a few main parts:

1. The Root of the Penis:

This is the part of the penis that is attached to the body. It consists of the bulb of the penis in the middle, and the crus of the penis, with one on either side of the bulb.

2. The Body of the Penis:

This part of the penis has two surfaces. There is the dorsal and the ventral. The ventral surface has a groove within a lateral direction. When erect, the dorsal is located in the posterosuperior, and when flaccid, the ventral faces downwards and backwards.

3. Epithelium:

This part of the penis is made up of the foreskin, which is the part that covers the glans penis, as well as the mucousa and the shaft skin.

Penile Structure

In terms of the structure of the penis, there are three main columns of tissue. Two are called corpora cavernosa and are found on the dorsal side, and the third is called corpus spongiosum, which is on the ventral side.

Urethra

The urethra is also an important part of the penis, serving as the last part of the urinary tract. This is the passageway, not only for urine from the body, but semen as well. The sperm itself is not produced within in the penis, but in the testicles.The human penis actually differs from that of other mammals, as there is no erectile bone, instead relying on blood to become engorged and erect prior to sexual intercourse with a mate. The penis cannot be withdrawn into the groin as a result. Lastly, in terms of proportion to body mass, the human penis is larger than is found in other mammals.