The urogenital sinus is a part of the human body only present in the development of the urinary and reproductive organs. It is the ventral part of the cloaca, formed after the

cloaca In animal anatomy, a cloaca ( ), plural cloacae ( or ), is the posterior orifice that serves as the only opening for the digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts (if present) of many vertebrate animals. All amphibians, reptiles and birds ...

separates from the

anal canal The anal canal is the part that connects the rectum to the anus, located below the level of the pelvic diaphragm. It is located within the anal triangle of the perineum, between the right and left ischioanal fossa. As the final functional segm ...

during the fourth to seventh weeks of development. In males, the UG sinus is divided into three regions: upper, pelvic, and phallic. The upper part gives rise to the

urinary bladder The urinary bladder, or simply bladder, is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans the bladder is a distensible organ that sits on the pelvic floor. Urine enters ...

and the pelvic part gives rise to the prostatic and membranous parts of the

urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra c ...

, the prostate and the bulbourethral gland (Cowper's). The phallic portion gives rise to the spongy (bulbar) part of the urethra and the urethral glands (Littre's). Note that the penile part of the urethra originates from urogenital fold. In females, the pelvic part of the UG sinus gives rise to the

sinovaginal bulb The sinovaginal bulb is a transitional structure in the development of female genitalia, and is one of a pair of endodermal outgrowths of the urogenital sinus, which later fuse to form the lower part of the vagina. The lower third of the vagina is d ...

s, structures that will eventually form the inferior two thirds of the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hy ...

. This process begins when the lower tip of the paramesonephric ducts, the structures that will eventually form the

uterus The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The ...

and vaginal fornices, come in contact with the UG sinus. Shortly afterwards, the

s form as two solid evaginations of the UG sinus. Cells in these bulbs divide to form a solid vaginal plate, which extends and then canalizes (hollows) to form the inferior portion of the

. The female urogenital sinus also gives rise to the urethra and vestibule of the vagina.

Clinical significance

A urogenital sinus anomaly is also a rare

birth defect A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities c ...

women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...

where the

and

both open into a common channel. A persistent cloaca is a disorder where the

rectum The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals, and the gut in others. The adult human rectum is about long, and begins at the rectosigmoid junction (the end of the sigmoid colon) at the l ...

, and

urinary tract The urinary system, also known as the urinary tract or renal system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, ...

meet and fuse, creating a

, a single common channel.

Other animals

In most mammals (excluding primates and species that have a

), the urogenital sinus refers to the sinus in which the openings to the female's urethra and vagina are found. The urogenital sinus of non-primates is homologous to the

vulval vestibule The vulval vestibule (or vulvar vestibule or vestibule of vagina) is a part of the vulva between the labia minora into which the urinary meatus (urethral opening) and the vaginal opening open. Its edge is marked by Hart's line. It represents the ...

of primates.

Additional images

File:Gray1107.png, Enlarged view from the front of the left Wolffian body before the establishment of the distinction of sex.

References

http://www.embryology.ch/anglais/ugenital/genitinterne04.html https://www.amboss.com/us/knowledge/Development_of_the_reproductive_system

External links

Urologyhealth.org page on Urogenital Sinus anomalies

Fetal pig dissection

AMBOSS
{{DEFAULTSORT:Urogenital Sinus Embryology of urogenital system

Clinical significance

Other animals

Additional images

See also

References

External links