Pires LAS, Fosse AM, Ribeiro JGA, Postigo PRM, Manaia JHM, Babinski MA. Stereological comparison of smooth muscle, collagen, and elastic fibers of the clitoris and glans penis in young adults.
Morphologie 2024;
108:100721. [PMID:
37897939 DOI:
10.1016/j.morpho.2023.100721]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To compare the collagen, elastic fibers, and smooth muscle content of the clitoris and the glans penis in young adults.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The clitoris and the glans penis of six women and six men (mean age 25±3) who died as a result of accidents were excised. The samples were placed under a formaldehyde solution and histologically processed. Masson's trichrome and Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin stain was used to highlight the elastic fibers, smooth muscle, and collagen. Stereological analysis was conducted in 5 random fields of 5 slides for each sample. For statistical analysis, the unpaired t-test was used to compare values between groups, and a value of P<0.05 was considered as significant for all analyses.
RESULTS
Stereology revealed a mean smooth muscle content of 35.84±6.46% and 31.64±4.74% for the clitoris and glans penis, respectively, while it also revealed collagen content of 26.11±7.41% and 28.44±3.55% and elastic fibers content of 24.12±4.34% and 30.97±6.13% for the clitoris and glans penis, respectively. The statistical analysis showed no significant differences between them.
CONCLUSION
Regardless of anatomical differences, the volumetric density of collagen, elastic fibers, and smooth muscle were similar for the clitoris and glans penis in young adults, a feature possibly explained by their embryology.
Collapse