Corpus spongiosum of penis at a glance
- What it is
- The corpus spongiosum is the single column of erectile tissue surrounding the penile urethra.
- Location
- It lies ventrally between and below the corpora cavernosa, expanding into the bulb at the base and the glans at the tip.
- Function
- It keeps the urethra open during erection so semen can pass.
- Body system
- Reproductive · single, midline structure
- FMA ID
- FMA19617 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)
Key facts
- Less rigid than the corpora cavernosa.
- Its bulb, at the root of the penis, is attached to the perineal membrane and covered by bulbospongiosus.
- Because the urethra runs through it, it stays compressible during erection.
Structures next to the corpus spongiosum of penis
The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:
- Corpus cavernosum of penis · reproductive
- Urethra · urinary
- Deep dorsal vein of penis · cardiovascular
- Dorsal artery of penis · cardiovascular
- Epididymis · reproductive
- Skin · skin
- Testis · reproductive
- Glans penis · reproductive
- Prostate · reproductive
- Pectineus · muscular
References
- Foundational Model of Anatomy: Corpus spongiosum of penis (FMA19617). EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service.
- OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, §27.1 Anatomy and Physiology of the Testicular Reproductive System. Rice University, 2022.
- Mitsuhashi N. et al. (2009). BodyParts3D: 3D structure database for anatomical concepts. Nucleic Acids Research 37, D782–D785. Data © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0.
Related anatomy
Explore the whole body in the interactive 3D human anatomy model, or browse the A–Z list of human structures.