17,071
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Revise text.
The '''preputial mucosa''' of the [[penis]] is the epithelium of the inside of the prepuce, or [[foreskin]]. To differentiate it from the cutaneous skin of the outside of the [[Foreskin|prepuce]], it is sometimes referred to as the '''inner mucosa'''. It starts at the [[ridged band]] mucocutaneous junction at the tip of the [[Foreskin|prepuce]] and continues to the coronal sulcus (groove behind the [[glans penis]]), where it meets the epithelium of the glans and penile shaft.<ref name="cold-taylor1999">{{ColdCJ TaylorJR 1999}}</ref> The preputial mucosa is devoid of hair, as is the cutaneous surface.<ref name="taylor1996">{{TaylorJR LockwoodAP TaylorAJ 1996}}</ref>
Fleiss et al. (1998) report the inner mucosa contains apocrine glands, which secrete cathepsin B, lysozyme, chymotrypsin, neutrophil elastase, and hormones such as androsterone. The first four substances have protective immunological functions.<ref name="fleiss-hodges-vanhowe1998">{{REFjournal
|DOI=
|accessdate=2019-12-01
}}</ref> After circumcision, the residual mucosa is found between the [[circumcision scar]] and the [[glans penis]]. The mucosa is no longer moisturized by [[transudation]] from the [[foreskin]] and becomes desiccated.
{{SEEALSO}}