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Updated: Jun 11, 2025

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Published on: May 11, 2016
Developmental and functional roles of androgen and interactive signals for external genitalia and erectile tissues
Daiki Hashimoto1, Kota Fujimoto2,3, Masanori Nakata1
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine Wakayama Medical University Wakayama Japan.
Background:
Recent progress in molecular and signal analyses revealed essential functions of cellular signals including androgen and related growth factors such as Wnt regulators for external genitalia (ExG) development and its pathogenesis. Accumulated data showed their fundamental functions also for erectile tissue (corporal body) development and its abnormalities. The current review focuses on such signals from developmental and functional viewpoints.
Methods:
Experimental strategies including histological and molecular signal analyses with conditional mutant mice for androgen and Wnt signals have been extensively utilized.
Main Findings:
Essential roles of androgen for the development of male-type ExG and urethral formation are shown. Wnt signals are associated with androgen for male-type ExG organogenesis. Androgen plays essential roles in the development of erectile tissue, the corporal body and it also regulates the duration time of erection. Wnt and other signals are essential for the regulation of mesenchymal cells of erectile tissue as shown by its conditional mutant mouse analyses. Stress signals, continuous erection, and the potential of lymphatic characteristics of the erectile vessels with sinusoids are also shown.
Conclusion:
Reiterated involvement of androgen, Wnt, and other regulatory factors is stated for the development and pathogenesis of ExG and erectile tissues.
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