Stem and endothelial progenitor cells in erection biology

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the consistent inability to obtain or maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual relations. The past 20 years of basic science research on erection physiology has been devoted to investigating the pathogenesis of ED and has led to the conclusion that ED is predominately a disease of vascular origin with dramatic changes occurring in the endothelium. Research has also led to an understanding of the biochemical factors and intracellular mechanisms responsible for corporal smooth muscle contraction and relaxation and the influence of endothelium-derived relaxing factors. The development of methods to deliver both stem and endothelial cells to the penis has kindled a keen interest in treating ED with gene- and cell-based therapies. In this paper, erection physiology and stem cell biology is reviewed, and the potential application of novel cell-based therapies for the treatment of ED is discussed.