What is the clitoris?

What is the clitoris?

• A. It is a gland that secretes mucus
• B. It is erectile tissue at the junction of the inner vulvar lips and the clitoral hood
• C. It is erectile tissue at the junction of the inner vulvar lips and above the external urethral opening
• D. It is a nerve bundle supplying sensation

Answer: (C)

The clitoris is an erectile organ in the female genitourinary system. It sits in the vestibule at the anterior junction where the labia minora come together, just above the external opening of the urethra. The visible part is the glans, but the clitoris also has internal erectile tissue (two corpora cavernosa) and roots that extend along the pubic bones, all of which become engorged with blood during arousal. It is covered by the clitoral hood, which protects the glans. While nerves provide sensory innervation, the defining feature here is that the clitoris is erectile tissue located at that specific location.

The clitoris is an erectile organ in the female genitourinary system. It sits in the vestibule at the anterior junction where the labia minora come together, just above the external opening of the urethra. The visible part is the glans, but the clitoris also has internal erectile tissue (two corpora cavernosa) and roots that extend along the pubic bones, all of which become engorged with blood during arousal. It is covered by the clitoral hood, which protects the glans. While nerves provide sensory innervation, the defining feature here is that the clitoris is erectile tissue located at that specific location.