Fibroblasts enable penile erection. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38330119/)

These scientists wanted to understand why some people have trouble getting or keeping an erection, which is a problem called erectile dysfunction. They thought that a type of cells called perivascular fibroblasts might be responsible for this issue.

To find out if their theory was correct, the scientists did some experiments. First, they collected samples of these cells from different people. Then, they studied these cells in the lab to see how they behaved.

Next, the scientists compared the cells from people who had erectile dysfunction with the cells from people who didn't have this problem. They looked for any differences between the two groups of cells.

After analyzing the results, the scientists found that the perivascular fibroblasts from people with erectile dysfunction were not working properly. They were not able to help the blood vessels in the penis relax and fill with blood, which is important for getting an erection.

This study helped the scientists understand that these specific cells might play a role in causing erectile dysfunction. It gives them a better idea of what goes wrong in the body and could help them develop new treatments to help people who have this problem.

Ryu JK., Koh GY. Fibroblasts enable penile erection. Science. 2024 Feb 9;383(6683):588-589. doi: 10.1126/science.adn5182. Epub 2024 Feb 8.