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Urethra

The urethra is a tube that conveys urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body. Its wall is lined with mucous membranes and contains a relatively thick layer of smooth muscle tissue. It also contains numerous mucous glands, called urethral glands that secrete mucus into the urethral canal. In females the urethra is about 4 cm long. It passes forward from the bladder, descends below the symphysis pubis, and empties into the labia minor. Its opening is located above the vaginal...

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    Full Urethra Description

    [Continued from above] . . . opening and about 2.5 cm below the clitoris. In males, the urethra functions both as a urinary canal and a passageway for cells and secretions from various reproductive organs. It can be divided into three sections: the prostatic urethra, the membranous urethra, and the penile urethra.