Development of the human foreskin during the fetal period. 2012

Luciano Alves Favorito, and Carlos Miguel Balassiano, and Waldemar Silva Costa, and Francisco José Barcellos Sampaio
Urogenital Research Unit, State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. lufavorito@yahoo.com.br

Foreskin development begins at twelfth gestational week through a circular invagination of the ectoderm in the glandular periphery that grows ventrally and totally involves the glans around the twentieth gestational week. Studies of foreskin formation chronology and its histological constituents in human fetuses are rare. The objective of this study is to analyze foreskin development during the second trimester of the human fetal period. We studied twelve well-preserved human fetuses between thirteen and nineteen weeks post conception (WPC), according to the foot length criterion. The fetuses' weight ranged from 70 to 340 g and the crown-rump length from 11 to 18.5 cm. Their penises were formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded and cut into 5 micrometers sections. Hematoxylin and eosin, Van Gieson solution, Gomori trichrome and Weigert staining were used. The glans was partially covered by the foreskin in the fetus at 13 WPC and almost completely covered by the foreskin in fetuses at 16 WPC and 17 WPC. The complete foreskin was formed only in the fetuses at 18 and 19 WPC, in which the foreskin totally covered the glans. In all the fetuses studied we observed the presence of preputial lamella and a large amount of mesenchymal tissue between the foreskin and glans. The chronology of foreskin formation in the second gestational trimester is well documented in our article. It is a fast process that lasts around five weeks and is coordinated with penile urethra formation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011262 Pregnancy Trimester, Second The middle third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 15th through the 28th completed week (99 to 196 days) of gestation. Midtrimester,Pregnancy, Second Trimester,Trimester, Second,Midtrimesters,Pregnancies, Second Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, Second,Second Pregnancy Trimester,Second Pregnancy Trimesters,Second Trimester,Second Trimester Pregnancies,Second Trimester Pregnancy,Second Trimesters,Trimesters, Second
D005260 Female Females
D005865 Gestational Age The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination. Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014521 Urethra A tube that transports URINE from the URINARY BLADDER to the outside of the body in both the sexes. It also has a reproductive function in the male by providing a passage for SPERM. External Urethral Sphincter,External Urinary Sphincter,Internal Urethral Sphincter,Internal Urinary Sphincter,Internal Vesical Sphincter,Urethral Sphincters,External Urethral Sphincters,External Urinary Sphincters,Internal Urethral Sphincters,Internal Urinary Sphincters,Internal Vesical Sphincters,Sphincter, External Urethral,Sphincter, External Urinary,Sphincter, Internal Urethral,Sphincter, Internal Urinary,Sphincter, Internal Vesical,Sphincter, Urethral,Urethral Sphincter,Urethral Sphincter, External,Urethras,Urinary Sphincter, External,Urinary Sphincter, Internal,Vesical Sphincter, Internal
D047109 Fetal Development Morphological and physiological development of FETUSES. Fetal Programming,Fetal Growth,Development, Fetal,Fetal Programmings,Growth, Fetal

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