Sensitive Discovery

Considering its central place in female identity and sexuality, research into the clitoris can be difficult to find. The importance of this complex organ has been undervalued by history – from being described as the “shameful member” by a 14th century anatomist to “a small version of the penis” in an early edition of Gray’s anatomy. Taking steps to understand its structure and sensitivity, here researchers explore the layers of tissues around the clitoris using MRI. They find erectile tissue (highlighted in pink and green) connected to a complex network of nerves, including the posterior labial nerve (orange). Such insights may guide delicate operations, such as reconstruction surgery after genital mutilation. More than that, this study helps to fill an embarrassing gap in the study of female genitalia, where taboos have got in the way of scientific and personal discovery.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from work by Ju Young Lee and colleagues
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
• Published in bioRxiv, May 2026 (not peer reviewed)