Abnormal development of the os penis in male mice treated neonatally with tamoxifen

The os penis of male C57BL/Tw mice given 5 daily injections of 100 micrograms tamoxifen (Tx) starting on the day of birth (day 0) was examined at ages of 5-60 days; the bones of males given Tx injections for 5 days starting at 0-10 days and of those given neonatal injections of 100 micrograms clomiphene or nafoxidine were examined at 60 days. In the control males given the vehicle alone, the proximal segment of the os penis, composed of a compact cell mass found at day 0, developed at 5 days into the membrane bone with bone marrow and hyaline cartilage; the distal segment, composed of mesenchymatous cells until 10 days, developed at 30 days into fibrocartilage characterized by a distribution of type I collagen. By contrast, in Tx mice, fibrocartilage in the distal segment, and hyaline cartilage characterized by a distribution of type II collagen, and bone marrow in the proximal segment disappeared by 30 days. The maximum area of the proximal and distal segments gradually increased with age in control mice, whereas the proximal segment area remained unchanged in Tx mice. In clomiphene and nafoxidine mice at 60 days, the proximal segment was composed of hyaline cartilage; however, the distal segment lacked fibrocartilage. Hyaline cartilage in the proximal segment and fibrocartilage in the distal segment disappeared in all 60-day-old mice given Tx starting within 5 days. Neonatal castration did not suppress the formation of bone marrow and fibrocartilage in the os penis, though the bone size was smaller than in the intact controls. Formation of spines on the glans penis skin was suppressed by Tx given within 5 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)