Penis

The penis is the male organ that expels liquid waste produced by the kidneys and doubles as a sexual organ for fertilizing the egg of the female. The penis is composed of several parts that provide various functions. The internal components of the penis are 2 spongy tubes called corpus cavernosa, one additional spongy tube called the corpus spongiosum and the urethra which travels through the corpus spongiosum. http://corpora-cavernosa.smartcode.com/ The three spongy tubes fill with blood when the male becomes sexually exited thereby producing an erection. The external parts of the penis are the shaft, foreskin (which will not be present in a circumcised male), the glans or head of the penis, and the meatus which is the opening by which the semen is ejected. http://www.cirp.org/pages/anat/

The urinary tract that leads to the penis consists of the kidneys, where waste products are filtered out of the blood stream, the ureters, which are the tubes that convey the waste from the kidneys to the bladder, the bladder which stores waste until it can be expelled, and the urethra via which the urine from the bladder is carried out of the body through the penis. http://www.urologychannel.com/anatomy.shtml

The path that the sperm follows on its way out of the body begins in the testes which are located in the scrotum. From the testes the sperm travels through the vas-deferens and on to the seminal duct where it is combined with seminal fluid and then sent on to prostate gland where the final secretions are added to form semen which is then passed into the urethra and then ejected out of the body through the end of the penis. http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio105/reproduc.htm

Circumcision is a controversial elective surgical procedure to remove the foreskin from the penis, usually performed within 1 or 2 days of birth.WebMD: Circumcision It is usually performed for cultural reasons, although some medical experts point to studies that show a lower rate of HIV infection in circumcised men.MSNBC: To Cut or Not? (March 9, 2007) Opponents maintain that the foreskin protects the penis, and that removing it is genital mutilation which can decrease sexual pleasure.Bismarck Tribune: The Cruelest Cut?(May 22, 2008)

Several factors impact the health of the penis including, diet, alcohol and drug use, smoking, exercise and hygiene.MensPublicHealth: Penis Hygiene ErectileDysfunctionConnection: 10 Tips for Men's Sexual Health

Some conditions that involve the penis are erectile dysfunction, hypospadias, human papillomavirus and genital herpes.Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Sexually Transmitted Disease Mayo Clinc: Hypospadias FamilyDoctor: Erectile Dysfunction (ED)