Clitoral body
Encyclopedia
Clitoris
The clitoris is a sexual organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina. Unlike the penis, which is homologous to the clitoris, the clitoris does not...
. It is attached to the clitoral glans
Clitoral glans
The clitoral glans is an external portion of the clitoris.- Anatomy :It is covered by the clitoral hood, which is also external and attached to the labia minora...
, which is external. After several inches into the body, it then splits into the clitoral crura
Clitoral crura
- Anatomy :The clitoral crura are an internal portion of the clitoris. A single one is called a clitoral crus. They are shaped like an inverted "V" with the vertex of the "V" connecting to the clitoral body....
, which are also internal and are "V" shaped.
Physiology
According to Masters and JohnsonMasters and Johnson
The Masters and Johnson research team, composed of William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson, pioneered research into the nature of human sexual response and the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders and dysfunctions from 1957 until the 1990s....
’s Sex and Human Loving, during the excitement stage the body (shaft) of the clitoris
Clitoris
The clitoris is a sexual organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina. Unlike the penis, which is homologous to the clitoris, the clitoris does not...
begins to fill with blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
and increase in size. As the female reaches maximum arousal
Arousal
Arousal is a physiological and psychological state of being awake or reactive to stimuli. It involves the activation of the reticular activating system in the brain stem, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure and a condition of...
(plateau phase), the body continues to fill with blood causing the clitoris to become erect.