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Age-related morphological changes in smooth muscle and collagen content in human corpus cavernosum
Julio Eduardo Ferrer1, Juan Diego Velez, Ana Milena Herrera
1Urology, Universidad CES, Medellin, Colombia.
Introduction:
Aging process has been related to erectile dysfunction (ED) possibly due to morphological changes in corpus cavernosum among many other causes.
Aim:
To evaluate smooth muscle and collagen content in human corpus cavernosum and to correlate it to age.
Methods:
Cadaveric human cavernosal tissue was collected during the period of 1 year. Morphological analysis of a whole corpus cavernosum was performed in tissue sections stained with Masson's trichromic method to differentiate smooth muscle (red) from collagen (blue) content.
Main Outcome Measures:
Analysis was performed with specialized micrographs image analysis software. Pearson's correlation test was used to establish correlation between corpus cavernosum morphology (smooth muscle and collagen content) and age.
Results:
A total sample of 89 tissues from different male cadavers were analyzed. The average age of the sample was 49.2 ± 19.1 years, with a range between 14 and 90 years. There was a statistically significant inverse correlation between age and the percentage of smooth muscle content (P = 0.012), direct correlation between age and percentage of collagen content (P = 0.019), and inverse correlation between age and the ratio of smooth muscle : collagen content (P = 0.007).
Conclusions:
Age-related morphological changes in terms of smooth muscle and collagen content are observed in human corpus cavernosum as a possible contributing factor to the development of ED.
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