Skene's glands

Skene's gland
Skene's glands held open
Details
Precursor	Urogenital sinus
Identifiers
Latin	glandulae vestibulares minores
Dorlands /Elsevier	Paraurethral glands
TA	A09.2.01.017
FMA	71648
Anatomical terminology []

In female human anatomy, Skene's glands or the Skene glands (/skiːn/ SKEEN; also known as the lesser vestibular glands, periurethral glands, paraurethral glands, or homologous female prostate) are glands located on the anterior wall of the vagina, around the lower end of the urethra. They drain into the urethra and near the urethral opening and may be near or a part of the G-spot. These glands are surrounded with tissue (which includes the part of the clitoris) that reaches up inside the vagina and swells with blood during sexual arousal.

The location of the Skene's gland is the general area of the vulva, glands located on the anterior wall of the vagina around the lower end of the urethra. The Skene's glands are homologous with the prostate gland in males. Skene's glands are not, however, explicit prostate glands themselves. During embryological development tissues are differentiated into either male or female parts. In male development, the tissue will differentiate into an organ that is anatomically unique to males that is called the prostate gland. In female development, the tissue differentiates into a different organ known as the Skene's gland. The prostate gland and Skene's gland share a common homologous origin, however anatomically and functionally they are distinct and separate tissues. Because of the Skene's gland and Prostate gland histological origins, the Skene's gland is often referred to as the homologue of the prostate. Another common example of homologous tissues that are distinctly different are the glans of the clitoris and glans of the penis. The clitoris is homologous to the penis, however, the clitoris is not a penis. The Skene's ducts are a pair of ducts leading from the Skene's glands to the surface of the vulva, to the left and right of the urethral opening.