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== Structure ==
The foreskin (also known as the prepuce) is the double-layered fold of smooth muscle tissue, blood vessels, neurons, skin, and mucous membrane part of the penis that covers and protects the glans penis and the urinary meatus.<ref name="cold-taylor1999" /> The foreskin comprises more than fifty percent of the epithelium of the penis.<ref name="taylor1996>{{REFjournal
|last=Taylor
|first=J.R.
|DOI=
|accessdate=
}}</ref> The [[gliding action]] reduces the friction of intercourse and helps to prevent abrasions, while conserving vaginal lubrication and moisture.<ref name="warren-bigelow1994">{{REFjournal
|last=Warren
|first=John
As with other neurologic structures such as the brain, the tip of the prepuce is richly supplied with blood by important vascular structures.<ref name="taylor1996"/> The prepuce serves as a conduit for several important veins.<ref name="fleiss-hodges-vanhowe1998">{{REFjournal
|last=Fleiss
|first=P. |author-link=Paul M. Fleiss
|last2=Hodges
|first2=F. |author2-link=Frederick M. Hodges
|last3=Van Howe
|first3=RSR.S.
|author3-link=
|title=Immunological functions of the human prepuce
|journal=Sex Trans Infect
|date=1998-10
}}</ref> The glans penis receives blood through the frenular artery.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Persad
|first=R.
|author-link=
|last2=Sharma
|first2=S.
|author2-link=
|last3=McTavish
|first3=J.
|author3-link=
|etal=yes
|title=Clinical presentation and pathophysiology of meatal stenosis following circumcision
|journal=Brit J Urol
|date=1995
|last=Gairdner
|first=D.
|author-link=Douglas Gairdner
|title=The fate of the foreskin: a study of circumcision.
|journal=Brit Med J
|quote=
|pubmedID=15408299
|pubmedCID= 2051968
|DOI=10.1136/bmj.2.4642.1433
|accessdate=2019-10-14
|DOI=10.1016/j.surge.2016.11.002
|accessdate=
}}</ref> Frisch & Simonsen (2016) reported the incidence of meatal stenosis to be 3.7 times higher in circumcised boys.<ref name="frisch2016" />
==Immunological Functionsfunctions ==
Fleiss ''et al''. (1998) have listed numerous immunological functions of the foreskin that help to protect the human body against infection. The sub-preputial moisture contains cathepsin B, chymotrypsin, neutrophil elastase, cytokines, and lysozyme, which has the capacity to desttroy the cell walls of bacteria. The preputial muscles keep the tip of the foreskin closed to keep out pathogens.<ref name="fleiss-hodges-vanhowe1998" />
==Sexual Functionsfunctions ==
The foreskin is a sexual organ. It provides both mechanical and erogenous functions in sexual intercourse.<ref name="fleiss-hodges-vanhowe1998" />
The gliding action facilitates intromission.<ref name="warren-bigelow1994" /><ref name="morgan1965">{{REFjournal
|last=Morgan
|first=WKCW.K.C.
|author-link=
|title=The rape of the phallus
|journal=JAMA
|date=1965
}}</ref> <ref name="taves2002">{{REFjournal
|last=Taves
|first=D.
|author-link=
|title=The intromission function of the foreskin
|journal=Med Hypotheses
|date=2002
|DOI=10.1016/s0306-9877(02)00250-5
|accessdate=2019-10-15
}}</ref> During the thrusting of sexual congress, the gliding action reduces abrasions and irritation in the female partner and avoids problems with vaginal dryness.<ref name="warren-bigelow1994" /><ref name="morgan1965" />
|DOI=
|accessdate=2019-10-14
}}</ref> is a mucous membrane. The inner layer is an extraordinarily complex tissue. It contains apocrine glands which produce Cathepsin B, lysozymes, chymotrypsin, neutrophil elastase, cytokines and pheromones such as androsterone.<ref name="fleiss-hodges-vanhowe1998" /> Indian scientists have shown that the subpreputial moisture contains lytic material which has an antibacterial and antiviral effect.<ref name="lakshmanan-prakash1980"/> The natural oils lubricate, moisten and protect the mucous membranes of both the glans and the inner foreskin layer.<ref name="prakash1"/> The tip of the foreskin is supplied with ample amounts of blood through important blood vessels.<ref>Dr. med. Wolfram Hartmann, Stellungnahme zur Anhörung am 26. November 2012 im Rechtsausschuss des Bundestages</ref>
The foreskin serves as a pathway for many significant veins. In addition the foreskin is saturated with very many nerve endings and tactile corpuscles, the same receptors that exist in the fingertips. The enormous density of nerves and mechanoreceptors make the foreskin the most sensitive part of the body, approximately 10 times more sensitive than the fingertips. This also distinguishes the human penis from those of other mammals, which in contrast have the main concentration of nerves in the glans, and not in the foreskin.
The foreskin in childhood is fused with the glans penis by a [[synechia]].
{{SEEALSO}}