Gland
Paraurethral (Skene's) glands
Secretory glands near the distal female urethra
High-yield
Skene's duct openings are near the urethral meatus; Bartholin's ducts open farther posteriorly beside the vaginal entrance.
Overview
Paraurethral glands lie beside the female urethra and communicate with the distal urethral or meatal region through small ducts. Their prostatic homology is supported by shared tissue markers, including expression of prostate-specific antigen in glandular tissue.
Reference facts
- Location
- Periurethral tissue, particularly near the distal female urethra, with variable duct openings close to the external meatus.
- Hormones
- Primarily exocrine secretions rather than a major circulating hormone output; prostatic-type markers such as PSA may be expressed.
- Blood supply
- Small branches from the internal pudendal and vaginal arterial networks.
- Innervation
- Regional pelvic autonomic and pudendal pathways serve glandular and surrounding sensory tissues; the gland-specific branching pattern is less consistently described.
- Function
- Contributes local urethral/vestibular secretions and represents tissue homologous to the male prostatic glandular system.
Clinical correlation
Duct blockage can produce a paraurethral cyst or abscess. Infection of periurethral glands is one proposed pathway to acquired urethral diverticula, although diverticula have more than one possible origin.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the paraurethral (Skene's) glands located?
Periurethral tissue, particularly near the distal female urethra, with variable duct openings close to the external meatus.
What do the paraurethral (Skene's) glands secrete?
Primarily exocrine secretions rather than a major circulating hormone output; prostatic-type markers such as PSA may be expressed.
What do the paraurethral (Skene's) glands do?
Contributes local urethral/vestibular secretions and represents tissue homologous to the male prostatic glandular system.
What is the blood supply of the paraurethral (Skene's) glands?
The paraurethral (Skene's) glands are supplied by the small branches from the internal pudendal and vaginal arterial networks.