A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics
Erection is an essential process which requires the male penis for copulation. This copulatory process depends on the vascular dynamic regulation of the penis. The corpus cavernosum (CC) in the upper (dorsal) part of the penis plays a major role in regulating blood flow inside the penis. When the CC...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.1000342/full |
| _version_ | 1828103396359405568 |
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| author | Kota Fujimoto Kota Fujimoto Daiki Hashimoto Kenichi Kashimada Shinji Kumegawa Yuko Ueda Taiju Hyuga Tsuyoshi Hirashima Norimitsu Inoue Kentaro Suzuki Isao Hara Shinichi Asamura Gen Yamada Gen Yamada |
| author_facet | Kota Fujimoto Kota Fujimoto Daiki Hashimoto Kenichi Kashimada Shinji Kumegawa Yuko Ueda Taiju Hyuga Tsuyoshi Hirashima Norimitsu Inoue Kentaro Suzuki Isao Hara Shinichi Asamura Gen Yamada Gen Yamada |
| author_sort | Kota Fujimoto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Erection is an essential process which requires the male penis for copulation. This copulatory process depends on the vascular dynamic regulation of the penis. The corpus cavernosum (CC) in the upper (dorsal) part of the penis plays a major role in regulating blood flow inside the penis. When the CC is filled with blood, the sinusoids, including micro-vessels, dilate during erection. The CC is an androgen-dependent organ, and various genital abnormalities including erectile dysfunction (ED) are widely known. Previous studies have shown that androgen deprivation by castration results in significantly decreased smooth muscles of the CC. Experimental works in erectile biology have previously measured intracavernosal penile pressure and mechanical tension. Such reports analyze limited features without assessing the dynamic aspects of the erectile process. In the current study, we established a novel explant system enabling direct visual imaging of the sinusoidal lumen to evaluate the dynamic movement of the cavernous space. To analyze the alternation of sinusoidal spaces, micro-dissected CC explants by patent blue dye injection were incubated and examined for their structural alternations during relaxation/contraction. The dynamic process of relaxation/contraction was analyzed with various external factors administered to the CC. The system enabled the imaging of relaxation/contraction of the lumens of the sinusoids and the collagen-containing tissues. Histological analysis on the explant system also showed the relaxation/contraction. Thus, the system mimics the regulatory process of dynamic relaxation/contraction in the erectile response. The current system also enabled evaluating the erectile pathophysiology. In the current study, the lumen of sinusoids relaxed/contracted in castrated mice similarly with normal mice. These results suggested that the dynamic erectile relaxation/contraction process was similarly retained in castrated mice. However, the system also revealed decreased duration time of erection in castrated mice. The current study is expected to promote further understanding of the pathophysiology of ED, which will be useful for new treatments in the future. Hence, the current system provides unique information to investigate the novel regulations of erectile function, which can provide tools for analyzing the pathology of ED. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:24:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-13c874efe2b04a36b0ab4b6e0a027f84 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-634X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:24:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-13c874efe2b04a36b0ab4b6e0a027f842022-12-22T04:32:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2022-10-011010.3389/fcell.2022.10003421000342A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamicsKota Fujimoto0Kota Fujimoto1Daiki Hashimoto2Kenichi Kashimada3Shinji Kumegawa4Yuko Ueda5Taiju Hyuga6Tsuyoshi Hirashima7Norimitsu Inoue8Kentaro Suzuki9Isao Hara10Shinichi Asamura11Gen Yamada12Gen Yamada13Department of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Molecular Physiology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, JapanDepartment of Pediatrics and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Urology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Pediatric Urology, Children’s Medical Center Tochigi, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, JapanMechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanFaculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, JapanDepartment of Urology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanErection is an essential process which requires the male penis for copulation. This copulatory process depends on the vascular dynamic regulation of the penis. The corpus cavernosum (CC) in the upper (dorsal) part of the penis plays a major role in regulating blood flow inside the penis. When the CC is filled with blood, the sinusoids, including micro-vessels, dilate during erection. The CC is an androgen-dependent organ, and various genital abnormalities including erectile dysfunction (ED) are widely known. Previous studies have shown that androgen deprivation by castration results in significantly decreased smooth muscles of the CC. Experimental works in erectile biology have previously measured intracavernosal penile pressure and mechanical tension. Such reports analyze limited features without assessing the dynamic aspects of the erectile process. In the current study, we established a novel explant system enabling direct visual imaging of the sinusoidal lumen to evaluate the dynamic movement of the cavernous space. To analyze the alternation of sinusoidal spaces, micro-dissected CC explants by patent blue dye injection were incubated and examined for their structural alternations during relaxation/contraction. The dynamic process of relaxation/contraction was analyzed with various external factors administered to the CC. The system enabled the imaging of relaxation/contraction of the lumens of the sinusoids and the collagen-containing tissues. Histological analysis on the explant system also showed the relaxation/contraction. Thus, the system mimics the regulatory process of dynamic relaxation/contraction in the erectile response. The current system also enabled evaluating the erectile pathophysiology. In the current study, the lumen of sinusoids relaxed/contracted in castrated mice similarly with normal mice. These results suggested that the dynamic erectile relaxation/contraction process was similarly retained in castrated mice. However, the system also revealed decreased duration time of erection in castrated mice. The current study is expected to promote further understanding of the pathophysiology of ED, which will be useful for new treatments in the future. Hence, the current system provides unique information to investigate the novel regulations of erectile function, which can provide tools for analyzing the pathology of ED.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.1000342/fullcorpus cavernosumcontraction/relaxationvascular dynamicserectile dysfunctionED |
| spellingShingle | Kota Fujimoto Kota Fujimoto Daiki Hashimoto Kenichi Kashimada Shinji Kumegawa Yuko Ueda Taiju Hyuga Tsuyoshi Hirashima Norimitsu Inoue Kentaro Suzuki Isao Hara Shinichi Asamura Gen Yamada Gen Yamada A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology corpus cavernosum contraction/relaxation vascular dynamics erectile dysfunction ED |
| title | A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics |
| title_full | A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics |
| title_fullStr | A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics |
| title_short | A visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics |
| title_sort | visualization system for erectile vascular dynamics |
| topic | corpus cavernosum contraction/relaxation vascular dynamics erectile dysfunction ED |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.1000342/full |
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