Urinary: The Urethra

Question 1

What type of epithelia lines the urethra?

Answer 1

Stratified columnar which is protected from urine by mucus

Question 2

How long is the male and female urethras?

Answer 2

Male: 15-20cm
Female: 4cm

Question 3

What are the 4 anatomical divisions of the male urethra?

Answer 3

Pre-prostatic: runs from the internal urethral orifice through the bladder wall to the prostate/
Prostatic: passes through the prostate.
Membranous: passes through the pelvic floor, it is surrounded by the external urethral sphincter.
Spongy: passes through the bulb and corpus spongiosum of the penis, ends at the external urethral orifice.

Question 4

Why are UTIs more common in women?

Answer 4

Their urethra is a lot shorter
There is a shorter distance from the anus to the external opening of the urethra so it can get easily contaminated with feacal matter.