Figure 1.
Photomicrographs of collagen in the corpus cavernosum and corpus spongiosum (blue color) of fetal penis at different ages in weeks post-conception (WPC).
A) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 13 WPC – arrows indicate small amount of collagen; B) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 13 WPC; C) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 22 WPC; D) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 21 WPC; E) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 32 WPC; F) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 32 WPC. Masson's trichrome, X1000.
Figure 2.
Photomicrographs of smooth muscle fibers in the corpus cavernosum and corpus spongiosum (brownish color) of fetal penis at different ages in weeks post-conception (WPC).
A) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 13 WPC; B) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 13 WPC; C) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 21 WPC; D) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 21 WPC; E) Corpus cavernosum, with 30 WPC fetus; F) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 30 WPC. Immunostaining for alpha actin, X1000.
Figure 3.
Photomicrographs of elastic system fibers in the corpus cavernosum and corpus spongiosum (brown tint) of fetal penis at different ages in weeks post-conception (WPC).
A) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 13 WPC; B) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 13 WPC; C) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 20 WPC; D) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 20 WPC; E) Corpus cavernosum, fetus of 30 WPC; F) Corpus spongiosum, fetus of 30 WPC. Immunostaining for elastin, X1000.
Figure 4.
Correlation between collagen, smooth muscle fibers and elastic system fibers, in percentage, with fetal age, during the fetal period studied (13 to 36 weeks post-conception – WPC).
The points plotted represent the mean values obtained for each week studied. A) Analysis in the corpus cavernosum. Linear regression indicated that the growth is correlated significantly and positively, with fetal age (collagen: r2 = 0.9771, p<0.0001; smooth muscle: r2 = 0.9516, p<0.0001; elastic fibers: r2 = 0.9122, p<0.0001). B) Analysis in the corpus spongiosum. Linear regression indicated that the growth is correlated significantly and positively, with fetal age (collagen: r2 = 0.9464, p<0.0001; smooth muscle: r2 = 0.9153, p<0.0001; elastic fibers: r2 = 0.8299, p<0.0001).