Scanning electron microscopy of the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa in normal and impotent subjects

Iacono, Fabrizio; Barra, Sabato; Cafiero, Gioacchino; Lotti, T.

doi:10.1007/bf00393302

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Investigators reported a significant decrease in elastic fibers in the TA of impotent patients in comparison to a control group [ 15 ]. A reduction of the TA elastic fibers is likely to produce disorders in the arrangement of collagen fibers [ 16 , 17 ]. As a matter of fact, electron microscopy revealed severe myopathic, fibrotic changes in the penile tissue [ 18 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the pathogenesis of penile venous leakage: role of the tunica albuginea

Shafik

Sibai

et al. 2007

BMC Urol

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BackgroundEtiology of venogenic erectile dysfunction is not exactly known. Various pathologic processes were accused but none proved entirely satisfactory. These include presence of large venous channels draining corpora cavernosa, Peyronie's disease, diabetes and structural alterations in fibroblastic components of trabeculae and cavernous smooth muscles. We investigated hypothesis that tunica albuginea atrophy with a resulting subluxation and redundancy effects venous leakage during erection.Methods18 patients (mean age 33.6 ± 2.8 SD years) with venogenic erectile dysfunction and 17 volunteers for control (mean age 31.7 ± 2.2 SD years) were studied. Intracorporal pressure was recorded in all subjects; tunica albuginea biopsies were taken from 18 patients and 9 controls and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome stains.ResultsIn flaccid phase intracorporal pressure recorded a mean of 11.8 ± 0.8 cm H2O for control subjects and for patients of 5.2 ± 0.6 cm, while during induced erection recorded 98.4 ± 6.2 and 5.9 ± 0.7 cmH2O, respectively. Microscopically, tunica albuginea of controls consisted of circularly-oriented collagen impregnated with elastic fibers. Tunica albuginea of patients showed degenerative and atrophic changes of collagen fibers; elastic fibers were scarce or absent.ConclusionStudy has shown that during erection intracorporal pressure of patients with venogenic erectile dysfunction was significantly lower than that of controls. Tunica albuginea collagen fibers exhibited degenerative and atrophic changes which presumably lead to tunica albuginea subluxation and floppiness. These tunica albuginea changes seem to explain cause of lowered intracorporal pressure which apparently results from loss of tunica albuginea veno-occlusive mechanism. Causes of tunica albuginea atrophic changes and subluxation need to be studied.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the pathogenesis of penile venous leakage: role of the tunica albuginea

Shafik

Sibai

et al. 2007

BMC Urol

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“…26 These fibers allow penile elongation during tumescence and an increase in girth during erection while providing adequate resilience for a rapid return to the relaxed nonerect state at detumescence. 27,28 Loss of corporeal elasticity by decreased vascularity with consequent increased ratio of cavernosal smooth muscle content and thickening of tunica albuginea may be the result of xenoestrogenic effect of BPA, which adversely affects erectile homodynamic. The corpus cavernosum seems very sensitive to the stimulation by BPA in this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bisphenol A inhibits penile erection via alteration of histology in the rabbit

Sung

et al. 2001

Int J Impot Res

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Despite extensive research into the toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA), no report of its effect on erectile function exists. We performed this study to investigate the effect of BPA on erectile function. New Zealand white rabbits were treated intraperitoneally with 150 mg=kg of BPA every other day for 12 days (cumulative dose of 900 mg=kg). Four and 8 weeks after administration of BPA, the contractions and relaxation of cavernosal tissue strips were significantly suppressed in the BPAtreated animals compared to the control animals. Histologically, thickening of tunica albuginea, subtunical deposition of fat and decreased sinusoidal space with consequent increase of trabecular smooth muscle content were observed in the BPA-treated animals. These results suggest that xenoestrogen BPA may affect the erectile function through evident histological changes of the penis.

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“…7 A reduction in the elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea and disorders in the arrangement of the collagenic fibers also have been observed in impotent men. 8 Hypertension is one of the important risk factors resulting in ED. However, the mechanism of ED in hypertension is unknown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural comparison of penile cavernous tissue between hypertensive and normotensive rats

et al. 2005

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Our aim was to compare the ultrastructure of penile cavernous tissue in the spontaneous hypertensive rat (SHR) and normotensive rat, and study the relation of blood pressure with erectile function. After injection of apomorphine (APO), penile erectile frequency in 16-week-old SHR (group A) and Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) (group B) was observed and noted. The ultrastructure of the penile cavernous tissue was studied by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The mean blood pressures were significantly higher in group A than in group B (P ¼ 0; 171.20710.94 and 117.60712.38, n ¼ 5, for group A and group B, respectively). After treatment of the two groups with APO, the erectile frequency in group A was significantly less than in group B (P ¼ 0.007; 0.4070.55 and 2.4071.14, n ¼ 5, for group A and group B, respectively). Significant ultrastructural pathological changes were observed in the tunica albuginea and penile cavernous tissue of SHR. The elastic fibers were decreased and the collagen fibers of the sinusoid were increased in group A. The tunica albuginea thickness (mean7s.d.) was 100.2077.22 lm and 126.0077.65 lm in group A and group B, respectively. The tunica albuginea of group A was significantly thinner than that in B (P ¼ 0.001). Some endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells exhibited damaged mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulums and Schwann cells were degenerated in group A. Although the function of penile erection might be affected by a secondary effect related to endothelial dysfunction of hypertension, these ultrastructural pathological changes of the penile cavernous tissue might also be one of the important mechanisms of erectile dysfunction caused by hypertension.

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Scanning electron microscopy of the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa in normal and impotent subjects

Cited by 15 publications

References 13 publications

On the pathogenesis of penile venous leakage: role of the tunica albuginea

On the pathogenesis of penile venous leakage: role of the tunica albuginea

Bisphenol A inhibits penile erection via alteration of histology in the rabbit

Ultrastructural comparison of penile cavernous tissue between hypertensive and normotensive rats

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