Abstract

Objectives: The etiology of hypospadias is often obscured and multifactorial. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) accelerates lung and intestinal
maturation, promotes cell proliferation, regulates tissue differentiation, and modulates organogenesis and it plays an essential role in the
normal regeneration and healing of epithelial surfaces. Inadequate EGFR expression has been reported in periüretral skin.
The aim of our study is to compare the EGFR expression in the dorsal foreskin of children with hypospadias and in foreskin of children
undergoing circumcision.
Materials and Methods: The foreskins of 7 healthy children (obtained during circumcision) and 7 children with hypospadias were stained
for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression.
Results: The EGFR expression in the epidermis, smooth muscle, stroma, blood vessels, and fibroblasts of prepuces were not significantly
different between the groups (p>0,05). But the number of the mast cells were increased in the hypospadias group (p

Key words: Hypospadias; EGF; EGFR; Mast Cell.