Preputial mucosa
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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 [[prepuce]], it is sometimes referred to as the '''inner mucosa'''. It starts at the [[ridged band]] of the [[prepuce]] and continues to the [[coronal sulcus]] (groove behind the [[glans penis]]), where it meets the epithelium of the glans and penile shaft.
The preputial mucosa is devoid of hair, as is the cutaneous surface. The preputial mucosa contains fewer [[Langerhans cell]]s than most mucosal epithelia (Weiss 1993). These cells secrete [[cytokine]]s (a non-[[antibody]] [[protein]] that generates an [[immune response]] on contact with specific [[antigens]]), and are an essential part of the [[immune system]]. According to one review (Fleiss 1998), the inner mucosa contains [[apocrine glands]], which secrete [[cathepsin B]], [[lysozyme]], [[chymotrypsin]], [[neutrophil elastase]], and [[pheromones]] such as [[androsterone]]. The first four substances have protective immunological functions, while the pheromones are postulated to play a role in [[sexual arousal]] of the female.{{fact|date=April 2007}} A [[histology|histological]] study (Taylor 1996), however, reported that the prepuce contains no [[apocrine glands|apocrine]] ([[sweat glands|sweat]]) glands whatsoever.
==External links==
* [http://www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/cold-taylor/ Cold CJ, Taylor JR. The prepuce. ''BJU Int'' 1999;83 Suppl. 1:34-44.]
* [http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/STD/fleiss3/ Fleiss P, Hodges F, Van Howe RS. Immunological functions of the human prepuce. ''Sex Trans Inf'' 1998;74:364-367.]
* [http://www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/prakash/ Prakash S, Raghuram R, Venkatesan, et al. Sub-preputial wetness - Its nature. ''Ann Nat Med Sci'' (India) 1982;18(3):109-112.]
* [http://www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/taylor/ Taylor JR, Lockwood AP, Taylor AJ. The prepuce: specialized mucosa of the penis and its loss to circumcision. ''Br J Urol.'' 1996;77:591-5.]
* [http://sti.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/74/5/364#112 Waskett JH. Apocrine glands in inner prepuce doubtful. ''Sex Trans Inf.'' 2005; eLetter (20 June).]
* [http://www.drweiss.org/langer.htm Weiss GN, Sanders M, Westbrook KC. The distribution and density of langerhans cells in the human prepuce: Site of a diminished immune response? ''Isr J Med Sci.'' 1993 Jan 29(1):42-3.]
[[Category:Sexual anatomy]]
[[Category:Andrology]]
[[Category:Penis]]