Quick Facts
Origin: Female: perineal body; Male: perineal body and median raphe on ventral aspect of penis.
Insertion: Female: perineal membrane and corpora cavernosa of clitoris; Male: perineal membrane and dorsal aspects of corpus spongiosum and corpora cavernosa of penis.
Action: Female: stabilizes perineal body, expresses secretions of greater vestibular glands, and assists in erection of clitoris: Male: stabilizes the perineal body, expels urine and semen from urethra, and assists in erection of penis.
Innervation: Perineal nerve (S2-S4).
Arterial Supply: Perineal artery.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
In females, the bulbospongiosus muscle originates from the perineal body. In males, the bulbospongiosus muscle originates from the perineal body and a median raphe found along the ventral aspect of the penis.
Insertion
In females, the fibers of the bulbospongiosus muscle travel anteriorly, surrounding the greater vestibular gland and bulb of the vestibule. They insert onto the perineal membrane and the corpora cavernosa of clitoris.
In males, the fibers of the bulbospongiosus muscle travel dorsally, surrounding the bulb of the penis, corpus spongiosum and corpora cavernosa of penis. They insert onto the perineal membrane and the dorsal aspects of the corpus spongiosum and corpora cavernosa of penis.
Key Features & Anatomical Relations
The bulbospongiosus (bulbocavernosus) muscle is one of the muscles of the superficial perineal space, which itself is found in the urogenital triangle of the perineum. It is a short, thin skeletal muscle, whose anatomy differs between females and males.
In females, it is located:
- superficial to the greater vestibular gland and the bulb of vestibule;
- anterior to the perineal body;
- inferior to the perineal membrane;
- medial to the ischiocavernosus muscle;
- lateral to the female external genitalia.
In males, it is located:
- superficial to the corpus spongiosum and corpora cavernosa of penis;
- anterior to the perineal body;
- posterior to the male external genitalia;
- inferior to the perineal membrane;
- medial to the ischiocavernosus muscle.
Actions
In females, the bulbospongiosus muscle is involved in multiple actions:
- stabilizes the perineal body;
- assists in the expression of the secretions of the greater vestibular glands;
- assists in the erection of the clitoris by compressing the deep dorsal vein of clitoris.
In males, the bulbospongiosus muscle is involved in multiple actions:
- stabilizes the perineal body;
- assists in the expulsion of urine and semen from the urethra;
- assists in the erection of the penis by compressing the deep dorsal vein of the penis (Standring, 2016).
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Actions
In females, the bulbospongiosus muscle is involved in multiple actions:
- stabilizes the perineal body;
- assists in the expression of the secretions of the greater vestibular glands;
- assists in the erection of the clitoris by compressing the deep dorsal vein of clitoris.
In males, the bulbospongiosus muscle is involved in multiple actions:
- stabilizes the perineal body;
- assists in the expulsion of urine and semen from the urethra;
- assists in the erection of the penis by compressing the deep dorsal vein of the penis (Standring, 2016).
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Bulbospongiosus Muscle
The bulbospongiosus muscle is a continuation of the urethralis muscle around the CSP surrounding the urethra and extends from the ischial arch to the glans penis.
