The prostatic utricle (Latin for "small pouch of the

prostate The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and phys ...

") is a small indentation in the prostatic urethra, at the apex of the

urethral crest The urethral crest is an anatomical feature present in the urinary system of both males and females. In males, the urethral crest is known as the ''crista urethralis masculinae'', or the ''crista phallica'', and is a longitudinal fold on the poste ...

, on the

seminal colliculus The seminal colliculus (Latin ''colliculus seminalis''), or verumontanum, of the prostatic urethra is a landmark distal to the entrance of the ejaculatory ducts (on both sides, corresponding vas deferens and seminal vesicle feed into correspondin ...

(''verumontanum''), laterally flanked by openings of the

ejaculatory duct The ejaculatory ducts (''ductus ejaculatorii'') are paired structures in male anatomy. Each ejaculatory duct is formed by the union of the vas deferens with the duct of the seminal vesicle. They pass through the prostate, and open into the ureth ...

s. It is also known as the ''vagina masculina'' or ''uterus masculinus'' or (in older literature) ''vesicula prostatica''.

Structure

It is often described as "blind", meaning that it is a duct that does not lead to any other structures. It tends to be about one cm in length. It can sometimes be enlarged. The utricle is deemed enlarged if it allows insertion of a

cystoscope Cystoscopy is endoscopy of the urinary bladder via the urethra. It is carried out with a cystoscope. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. The cystoscope has lenses like a telescope or microscope ...

at least 2 cm deep. This is often associated with

Hypospadias Hypospadias is a common variation in fetal development of the penis in which the urethra does not open from its usual location in the head of the penis. It is the second-most common birth abnormality of the male reproductive system, affecting abou ...

Function

The prostatic utricle is the homologue of 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

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 hymen ...

, usually described as derived from the

paramesonephric duct Paramesonephric ducts (or Müllerian ducts) are paired ducts of the embryo that run down the lateral sides of the genital ridge and terminate at the sinus tubercle in the primitive urogenital sinus. In the female, they will develop to form the f ...

, although this is occasionally disputed. In 1905 Robert William Taylor described the function of the utricle: "In

coitus Sexual intercourse (or coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the penis into the vagina for sexual pleasure or reproduction.Sexual intercourse most commonly means penile–vaginal penetr ...

it so contracts that it draws upon the openings of the ejaculatory ducts, and thus renders them so patulous that the

semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Sem ...

readily passes through."R. W. Taylor. "A practical treatise on sexual disorders of the male and female". New York and Philadelphia, 1897; 3rd edition, 1905. p. 48

Notes

References

External links

* "The Male Pelvis: The Prostate Gland" * () * {{Authority control Prostate Vagina

Structure

Function

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links