Estrogen enhances wound healing in the penis of rats

Estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta and aromatase are expressed in various cell-types and compartments of the penis, including the epidermis of glans penis. Here, we hypothesize that estrogen helps maintain the viability and integrity of glans penis and test the hypothesis by treating lesioned glans penis with either 17beta-estradiol or vehicle only. Estrogen was found to facilitate wound healing and increase vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunoreactivity compared to control, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy, histology, and immunohistochemistry. We conclude that estrogen plays a role in maintaining glans penis integrity, in part, by facilitating penile healing, possibly via up-regulating VEGF levels.