scholarly journals Changes in the extracellular matrix of the clitoris caused by aging: a stereological and comparative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1816-1818
Author(s):  
Lucas Pires ◽  
Monique Babinski ◽  
Albino Fonseca Junior ◽  
Jorge Henrique Manaia ◽  
Marcio Babinski

IntroductionThe clitoris is partially responsible for sexual arousal. The integrity of the extracellular matrix is essential for clitoral erection. Sexual dysfunction is a phenomenon associated with age.Material and methodsThe clitoris of cadavers of 20- to 80-year-old women was excised and histologically processed. Stereological analysis was performed to quantify the volumetric density of collagen, elastic fibers, and smooth muscle.ResultsA significant increase in collagen and a decrease in smooth muscle and elastic fibers were observed in older women.ConclusionsIn short, these changes caused by aging could contribute to female sexual dysfunction concerning clitoral orgasm.

2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (6) ◽  
pp. L1197-L1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia Angeli ◽  
Carla M. Prado ◽  
Débora G. Xisto ◽  
Pedro L. Silva ◽  
Caroline P. Pássaro ◽  
...  

The importance of lung tissue in asthma pathophysiology has been recently recognized. Although nitric oxide mediates smooth muscle tonus control in airways, its effects on lung tissue responsiveness have not been investigated previously. We hypothesized that chronic nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition by Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) may modulate lung tissue mechanics and eosinophil and extracellular matrix remodeling in guinea pigs with chronic pulmonary inflammation. Animals were submitted to seven saline or ovalbumin exposures with increasing doses (1∼5 mg/ml for 4 wk) and treated or not with l-NAME in drinking water. After the seventh inhalation (72 h), animals were anesthetized and exsanguinated, and oscillatory mechanics of lung tissue strips were performed in baseline condition and after ovalbumin challenge (0.1%). Using morphometry, we assessed the density of eosinophils, neuronal NOS (nNOS)- and inducible NOS (iNOS)-positive distal lung cells, smooth muscle cells, as well as collagen and elastic fibers in lung tissue. Ovalbumin-exposed animals had an increase in baseline and maximal tissue resistance and elastance, eosinophil density, nNOS- and iNOS-positive cells, the amount of collagen and elastic fibers, and isoprostane-8-PGF2α expression in the alveolar septa compared with controls ( P < 0.05). l-NAME treatment in ovalbumin-exposed animals attenuated lung tissue mechanical responses ( P < 0.01), nNOS- and iNOS-positive cells, elastic fiber content ( P < 0.001), and isoprostane-8-PGF2α in the alveolar septa ( P < 0.001). However, this treatment did not affect the total number of eosinophils and collagen deposition. These data suggest that NO contributes to distal lung parenchyma constriction and to elastic fiber deposition in this model. One possibility may be related to the effects of NO activating the oxidative stress pathway.


Author(s):  
Luis Gabriel Rivera Calderón ◽  
Priscila Emiko Kobayashi ◽  
Rosemeri Oliveira Vasconcelos ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Fonseca-Alves ◽  
Renee Laufer-Amorim

Collagen (Coll) is the most common protein in the extracellular matrix, responsible for providing tissue structure and support. In some types of cancer, including prostate cancer (PC) abundant collagen was identified and related to tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to investigate Coll-I, III, IV and elastin in normal canine prostatic tissue and PC, using the Picrosirius red (PSR) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Eight normal prostates and 10 PC from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples were used. Collagen fibers area was analyzed with ImageJ software. The distribution of Coll-I and Col-III was approximately 80% around prostatic ducts and acini, 15% among smooth muscle and 5% around in blood vessels, in both normal prostate and PC. Immunostaining for type IV collagen was observed in the basal membrane of prostate acini, smooth muscle, blood vessels, and never fibers of normal and PC samples. Elastic fibers were found in the septa dividing the lobules and around the prostatic acini of normal samples. A high amount of elastic fibers was observed around the ducts and the urethra in normal and canine PC. The distribution and area percentage of staining for collagen are similar in normal and neoplastic canine prostate when analyzed with PSR and IHC.


Author(s):  
Luis Gabriel Rivera Calderón ◽  
Priscila Emiko Kobayashi ◽  
Rosemeri Oliveira Vasconcelos ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Fonseca-Alves ◽  
Renee Laufer-Amorim

Collagen (Coll) is the most common protein in the extracellular matrix, responsible for providing tissue structure and support. In some types of cancer, including prostate cancer (PC) Coll deregulation was described and related to tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to investigate Coll-I, III, IV and elastin in canine normal prostate and PC, using Picrosirius red (PSR) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Eight normal prostates and 10 PC from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples were used. Collagen fibers area was analyzed with ImageJ software. The distribution of Coll-I and Coll-III was approximately 80% around prostatic ducts and acini, 15% among smooth muscle and 5% around in blood vessels, in both normal prostate and PC. Immunostaining for Coll-IV was observed in the basal membrane of prostate acini, smooth muscle, blood vessels, and never fibers of normal and PC samples. Elastic fibers were found in the septa dividing the lobules and around the prostatic acini of normal samples. A high amount of elastic fibers was observed around the ducts and the urethra in normal and PC. The distribution and area percentage of staining for collagen are similar in normal and neoplastic canine prostate when analyzed with PSR and IHC.


2009 ◽  
pp. 49-65
Author(s):  
Donata Lembo ◽  
Ilaria Prosperi ◽  
Adele Fabrizi

- In 2002 S. Leiblum describes and documents a new female sexual dysfunction, called Persistent Sexual Arousal Disorder (PSAD). The dysfunction is characterized by an excitement that persists for prolonged periods, such as hours, days or weeks. The excitement is not linked to sexual desire and may also be triggered by non sexual stimuli, as mere vibrations; moreover it cannot find a way out in an orgasm, which often proves unsatisfactory. Causes that may contribute to increase female sexual activity, be it egosyntonic or egodistonic, pleasant or disturbing for the couple, are still not appropriately investigated (Leiblum, Graziottin, 2007).


Author(s):  
Michelle McCowan

The agreement between psychological and physical sexual arousal is variable among women: some show very high levels of sexual concordance while others demonstrate little or no agreement the emotional and physiological components of arousal (Chivers, Seto, Lalumière, Laan, & , 2010). This mind-body connection has been implicated in female sexual dysfunction, as women sexual dysfunctions tend to show especially low levels of sexual concordance (e.g., Laan, van Driel, & Lunsen, 2008). To date, there has been very little research on how concordance influences individual in sexual outcomes in women without sexual dysfunction. Initial evidence suggested a relationship between sexual concordance and orgasm consistency in healthy women (e.g., Adams, Haynes & Brayner, 1985); however, the few studies examining this relationship present mixed findings. The current study attempts to clarify the relationship between sexual concordance and orgasm consistency and examines sexual assertiveness as a mediator in the predicted concordance-orgasm consistency relationship.


2022 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 101682
Author(s):  
Monique da Silva Dias Babinski ◽  
Lucas Alves Sarmento Pires ◽  
Albino Fonseca Junior ◽  
Jorge Henrique Martins Manaia ◽  
Marcio Antonio Babinski

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6886
Author(s):  
Federico D’Amico ◽  
Elena Doldo ◽  
Calogera Pisano ◽  
Maria Giovanna Scioli ◽  
Federica Centofanti ◽  
...  

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disease caused by mutations in the FBN1 gene, leading to alterations in the extracellular matrix microfibril assembly and the early formation of thoracic aorta aneurysms (TAAs). Non-genetic TAAs share many clinico-pathological aspects with MFS and deregulation of some microRNAs (miRNAs) has been demonstrated to be involved in the progression of TAA. In this study, 40 patients undergoing elective ascending aorta surgery were enrolled to compare TAA histomorphological features, miRNA profile and related target genes in order to find specific alterations that may explain the earlier and more severe clinical outcomes in MFS patients. Histomorphological, ultrastructural and in vitro studies were performed in order to compare aortic wall features of MFS and non-MFS TAA. MFS displayed greater glycosaminoglycan accumulation and loss/fragmentation of elastic fibers compared to non-MFS TAA. Immunohistochemistry revealed increased CD133+ angiogenic remodeling, greater MMP-2 expression, inflammation and smooth muscle cell (SMC) turnover in MFS TAA. Cultured SMCs from MFS confirmed higher turnover and α-smooth muscle actin expression compared with non-MFS TAA. Moreover, twenty-five miRNAs, including miR-26a, miR-29, miR-143 and miR-145, were found to be downregulated and only miR-632 was upregulated in MFS TAA in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that some deregulated miRNAs in MFS TAA are implicated in cell proliferation, extracellular matrix structure/function and TGFβ signaling. Finally, gene analysis showed 28 upregulated and seven downregulated genes in MFS TAA, some of them belonging to the CDH1/APC and CCNA2/TP53 signaling pathways. Specific miRNA and gene deregulation characterized the aortopathy of MFS and this was associated with increased angiogenic remodeling, likely favoring the early and more severe clinical outcomes, compared to non-MFS TAA. Our findings provide new insights concerning the pathogenetic mechanisms of MFS TAA; further investigation is needed to confirm if these newly identified specific deregulated miRNAs may represent potential therapeutic targets to counteract the rapid progression of MFS aortopathy.


1988 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1211-1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
M W Lark ◽  
T K Yeo ◽  
H Mar ◽  
S Lara ◽  
I Hellström ◽  
...  

We generated a monoclonal antibody (Mab) against a large chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) isolated from bovine aorta. This Mab (941) immunoprecipitates a CSPG synthesized by cultured monkey arterial smooth muscle cells. The immunoprecipitated CSPG is totally susceptible to chondroitinase ABC digestion and possesses a core glycoprotein of Mr approximately 400-500 KD. By use of immunofluorescence light microscopy and immunogold electron microscopy, the PG recognized by this Mab was shown to be deposited in the extracellular matrix of monkey arterial smooth muscle cell cultures in clusters which were not part of other fibrous matrix components and not associated with the cell's plasma membrane. With similar immunolocalization techniques, the CSPG antigen was found enriched in the intima and present in the medial portions of normal blood vessels, as well as in the interstitial matrix of thickened intimal lesions of atherosclerotic vessels. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that this CSPG was confined principally to the space within the extracellular matrix not occupied by other matrix components, such as collagen and elastic fibers. These results indicate that this particular proteoglycan has a specific but restricted distribution in the extracellular matrix of arterial tissue.


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