title: Age-related changes in the concentration of elastic fibers in different regions of the rabbit penis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether elastic fiber content in the corpus cavernosum (CC), corpus spongiosum (CS) and tunica albuginea (TA) of the rabbit penis undergoes modifications with age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbits were sacrificed, in groups of ten animals each, at 30, 120, 240, and 730 days of age. Histological sections were obtained from the penile middle shaft and were stained with Weigert's resorsin fuchsin. The content of elastic fibers was determined using stereological methods, and was expressed as volume fraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 730 days of age, elastic fiber content was increased by 54% (p<0.004), 78% (p<0.004), and 87% (p<0.004) in the TA, CC, and CS, respectively, compared with animals aged 30 days. After 30 days of age, the concentration gradually and significantly increased until 240 days of age. In 730-day old animals, the concentration, compared with the previous age group, was unchanged in the CC and decreased by 20% (p<0.004) in the TA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elastic fiber contents in the rabbit penis correlate with properties of penile tissues. Although after one month of age there is a gradual increase in these concentrations, in two-year old animals this trend is interrupted, which suggests that this could be an early alteration due to senescence.
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Riode Janeiro,RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abidu-Figueiredo
authors.forename: Waldemar Silva
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Maurício Alves
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chagas
authors.forename: Francisco José Barcellos
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Luiz Eduardo de Macedo
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D010413:Penis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors