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[[Image:Charles-Darwin.jpg|right|thumb|Charles Darwin.]]
Millions of years of evolution have fashioned the human body into a model of refinement, elegance, and efficiency, with every part having a function and purpose. Evolution has determined that mammals' genitals should be sheathed in a protective, responsive, multipurpose foreskin. Every normal human being is born with a foreskin. In females, it protects the glans of the [[clitoris]]; in males, it protects the [[glans ]] of the [[penis]]. Thus, the foreskin is an essential part of human sexual anatomy.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Fleiss
|first=Paul M.
}}</ref>
Over the last 65 million years, the [[prepuce ]] has offered reproductive advantages. Although advocates of mass circumcision hypothesize that the prepuce represents a design flaw, it is more likely that sexual selection has refined the external genitalia of each primate species for reproductive excellence.<ref name="cold-mcgrath">{{REFbook
|last=Cold
|first=Christopher J.
=== Morphology ===
The [[prepuce ]] has been well conserved by evolution.<ref name="cold-mcgrath"/> In primates, the foreskin has been present in the genitalia of both sexes of mammals for at least 65 million years and likely has been present for over 100 millions years of evolution, based on its commonality as an anatomical feature in mammals.<ref>{{REFbook
|last=Martin
|first=Robert D.
The rhesus monkey has fewer corpuscular receptors in the prepuce (foreskin) and more corpuscular receptors in the glans (head). In humans, however, the glans penis has few corpuscular receptors and predominant free nerve endings,<ref>Halata, Z, & Spaethe, A. (1997). Sensory innervation of the human penis. Plenum Press.</ref><ref name="halta86">Halata, Z, & Munger, B. (1986). The neuroanatomical basis for the protopathic sensibility of the human glans penis. Brain Res, 34(506)</ref> consistent with protopathic sensibility. Protopathic simply refers to a low order of sensibility (consciousness of sensation), such as to deep pressure and pain, that is poorly localised. The human glans penis has virtually no fine touch sensation and can only sense deep pressure and pain at a high threshold.<ref>Von, F.M. (1894). Beiträge zur Physiologie des Schmerzsinns. Akad Wiss Leipzig Math.-Naturwiss Kl Ber.</ref><ref name="macaca"/> While the human glans penis is protopathic, the prepuce contains a high concentration of touch receptors in the [[Ridged band|ridged band]].<ref name="cold-mcgrath"/>
In the human [[penis]], the [[prepuce ]] is known to have ten times more corpuscular sensory receptors than the [[glans penis]].<ref name="halta86"/>
The male and female prepuce has persisted in all primates, which strongly supports the contention that the prepuce is valuable genital sensory tissue. The corpora cavernosa and the prepuce are the only two universally common characteristics of the primate penis.<ref name="cold-mcgrath"/>
<youtube>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps1dkbcOKfA</youtube>
{{LINKS}}
* * {{REFweb
|url=http://www.intactaus.org/information/functionsoftheforeskin/
|title=Functions of the Foreskin
|last=Helard
|first=Lou
|author-link=
|publisher=Intact Australia
|website=
|date=2014-08-01
|accessdate=2020-05-29
|format=
|quote=
}}
{{REF}}