[Animal models of Peyronie's disease: An update]

Peyronie's disease is characterized by local fibrosis of the tunica albuginea and relatively rare clinically. Few relevant basic researches could be retrieved, which might be attributed to the absence of a robust animal model of the disease as well as to its rareness. At present, some animal models available for Peyronie's disease have their own merits and demerits. TGF-β1-induced and Fibrin-induced models are lack of penile curvature and calcification/ossification. A surgical model might be established for the acute phase of the disease. The characteristic of a widespread fibrotic process involving many organs in the spontaneous model is quite different from that of human Peyronie's disease. Therefore, choosing the right model is essential for researches. This paper presents an overview of the animal models of Peyronie's disease, meant to provide some reference for the basic research of the disease.