[Age changes of the connective tissue structures of human penis].

This investigation was aimed at the study of age changes of penis connective tissue structures. Tissue fragments of penis were obtained from 20 cadavers of men at the age of 20-38 years in group I, and from 20 cadavers of men at the age of 41-59 years in group II. The criteria for the exclusion of material from the research were arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis of internal iliac arteries, Peyronie's disease, and anomalies of genital organ development. It was shown that in the cavernous body of penis, aging was associated with the increased amount and thickening of collagen and argyrophilic fibers, decreased content and thinning of elastic fibers, and the reduced amount of smooth muscle cells (SMC). The average area of fibroblast and SMC nucleolus was not different in both groups studied. The average area of endotheliocyte nucleolus was equal to 1.9+/-0.9 microm2 in group II, being lower than that one in group I, in which this index was equal to 2.1+/-0.9 microm2. No differences in the content of type III and IV collagen were found between the study groups. Age-associated decrease in the average area of endothelial cell nucleolus in the cavernous bodies may reflect the reduction of the activity of these cells and may indicate the development of endothelial dysfunction, which is one of the most important steps in the morphogenesis of age-related male erectile dysfunction.

[Normal connective tissue in penis and its changes in patients with erectile dysfunction and Peyronie's disease].

The aim of this study was to examine the connective tissue of penis in normal individuals and in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and Peyronie's disease (PD) using computer methods of image analysis. Penis tissues were obtained from 20 males aged 20-40 years who died in accidents, penis biopsies were taken from 23 patients with ED and 9 patients with PD (average age: 51 +/- 11.5 years). In both groups of patients, the volumetric fraction of collagen fibers in the tunica albuginea and corpora cavernosa was increased, while that one of elastic fibers was decreased. At the same time, the changes of elastic fibers were noted: the fibers become thinner and formed "rods". The reduction of the amplitude and the wavelength in the collagen fibers of the tunica albuginea in patients with ED and the presence of fibrous plaques in corpora cavernosa in in patients with PD were registered. The methods of computer image analysis may improve the morphologic diagnosis of ED and PD.