What Is Bulbourethral Gland

In this article we shall look at the anatomy of the bulbourethral glands their structure vasculature and innervation.

What is bulbourethral gland.

The bulbouretheral glands are responsible for producing a pre ejaculate fluid called cowper s fluid. B high magnification of mouse bulbourethral gland with eosinophilic foamy cytoplasm in the secretory state s and eosinophilic finely granular cytoplasm in the resting state r. Also known as the cowper s gland. They may also be referred to as the cowper s glands since they were first documented by anatomist william cowper in the late 1600s.

The bulbourethral glands also have different names like the above mentioned cowper s glands for english anatomist william cowper the glands of littre and the glands of morgagni. There are two bulbourethral glands one on each side. The bulbourethral glands are comparable to the bartholin s glands in the female reproductive system. The accessory sex glands prostate gland vesicular glands and bulbourethral glands are aligned along the urethra distal to the point where the deferent ducts empty into the urethra.

They add fluids to semen during the process of ejaculation q v. What does bulbourethral gland mean. A the mouse bulbourethral gland consists of acini a lined by tall columnar epithelium embedded in skeletal muscle sm. Functional anatomy of reproductive systems.

They are homologous to bartholin s glands in females. Bulbourethral gland cowper s gland. Bulbourethral gland meaning bulbourethral gland d. The bulbourethral glands are part of the male reproductive system.

The bulbourethral gland or cowper s gland named for english anatomist william cowper is one of two small exocrine glands in the reproductive system of many male mammals of all domesticated animals they are absent only in dogs. The bulbourethral glands also known as cowper s glands are a pair of pea shaped exocrine glands located posterolateral to the membranous urethra they contribute to the final volume of semen by producing a lubricating mucus secretion. The glands which measure only about 1 cm 0 4 inch in diameter have d. The bulbourethral gland is a small gland approximately the size of a pea that is part of the male reproductive system two bulbourethral glands are attached to the urethra and are located behind it with one on each side.