Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Physiological aging and penile erectile function: a study in the rat

A Calabrò1, G Italiano, E S Pescatori

  • 1Institute of Urology, University of Padua, Italy.

European Urology
|January 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Clinical and immunopathological features of 159 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis: an Italian experience.

Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : organo ufficiale, Societa italiana di dermatologia e sifilografia·2013
Same author

Clinical impact of BNP and other emerging biomarkers in heart failure evaluation and management.

Minerva cardioangiologica·2012
Same author

Contactless optoelectronic technique for monitoring epoxy cure.

Applied optics·2008
Same author

Saliva, an alternative biologic matrix to detect glucocorticoid treatment in calves: experimental contribution.

Veterinary research communications·2007
Same author

Whole-brain histogram and voxel-based analyses of apparent diffusion coefficient and magnetization transfer ratio in celiac disease, epilepsy, and cerebral calcifications syndrome.

AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology·2007
Same author

Limitations of a simplification antiretroviral strategy for HIV-infected patients with decreasing adherence to a protease inhibitor regimen.

HIV clinical trials·2006
Same journal

Focal Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: Maturing Evidence, Evolving Questions.

European urology·2026
Same journal

Diagnosis and Staging of Patients with Prostate Cancer: Report from the 2025 Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) Diagnostics.

European urology·2026
Same journal

Re: Twelve-month Results from the CISTO Study Comparing Radical Cystectomy Versus Bladder-sparing Therapy for Recurrent High-grade Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: Recurrent High-risk NMIBC: One Bladder, Choose Wisely.

European urology·2026
Same journal

Re: Dries Develtere, Riccardo Bertolo. Cumulative Genitourinary Toxicity After Prostate Radiotherapy: High-Level Long-Term Randomized Evidence. J Clin Oncol. Online ahead of print. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/JCO-26-00436.

European urology·2026
Same journal

In Memory of Paul Mitrofanoff (1934-2025).

European urology·2026
Same journal

Re: McKay RR, Pal S, Xie W, et al. Advanced Urologic Cancer Consensus Conference (AUC3) 2025: Expert Consensus on the Management of Renal Cell and Urinary Tract Cancers. CA Cancer J Clin 2026;76:e70052.

European urology·2026
See all related articles

Physiological aging impairs erectile function in rats, leading to reduced penile tissue elasticity and abnormal corporal compliance. This study investigated age-related changes in erectile function and tissue properties.

Area of Science:

  • Urology
  • Gerontology
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition associated with aging.
  • Penile tissue properties, such as elasticity and compliance, are crucial for normal erectile function.
  • Understanding age-related changes in penile tissue is essential for developing effective ED treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of physiological aging on erectile function in rats.
  • To assess age-related changes in penile tissue properties, including elastic fibers and corporal compliance.
  • To correlate functional erectile responses with morphological changes in aged rat penises.

Main Methods:

  • In vivo and in vitro assays were used to evaluate erectile function in adult and aged rats.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Intracavernosal pressures and erection/detumescence kinetics were measured.
  • Isolated erectile tissues were tested for responsiveness to papaverine and norepinephrine.
  • Morphological analysis of tunica albuginea elastic fibers was performed using light microscopy.

    • Main Results:

    • Aged rats exhibited lower intracavernosal pressures and significantly slower erection and detumescence kinetics compared to adult rats.
    • Penile erectile tissue from aged rats showed a diminished response to papaverine, requiring higher concentrations for relaxation.
    • Morphological analysis revealed degenerative changes in the elastic fibers of the tunica albuginea in aged rats.
    • These findings indicate increased penile tissue stiffness and abnormal corporal compliance in aged rats.

    Conclusions:

    • Physiological aging is associated with significant declines in erectile function in rats.
    • Age-related degenerative changes in penile elastic fibers contribute to tissue stiffness and abnormal corporal compliance.
    • These alterations in penile tissue properties likely underlie the observed erectile dysfunction in aged animals.