Corpora cavernosa fibroblasts mediate penile erection. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38330107/)

These scientists wanted to understand how erections happen in the penis. They studied a part of the penis called the corpora cavernosa, which is like a sponge-like tissue that fills with blood when a person gets an erection.

They found that there are special cells called fibroblasts around the blood vessels in the corpora cavernosa. These fibroblasts help the blood vessels to expand and let more blood flow into the penis during an erection.

The scientists discovered that the number of fibroblasts is controlled by how often a person has erections. When a person gets an erection, the fibroblasts change their position and temporarily stop sending signals to each other. This change allows more fibroblasts to grow and help increase blood flow to the penis.

The scientists also found that a protein called Notch plays a role in controlling the number of fibroblasts. When Notch is turned off, more fibroblasts grow, and this increases blood flow. On the other hand, when Notch is always turned on, fewer fibroblasts grow, and this reduces blood flow.

The scientists also discovered that having frequent erections helps the fibroblasts to multiply and prevents the blood vessels from getting too narrow. However, as a person gets older, the number of fibroblasts decreases, and this can reduce blood flow to the penis.

In conclusion, the scientists found that the fibroblasts in the penis play an important role in helping blood flow during an erection. They also learned that the number of fibroblasts can change depending on how often a person has erections, and this affects blood flow.

Guimaraes EL., Dias DO., Hau WF., Julien A., Holl D., Garcia-Collado M., Savant S., Vagesjo E., Phillipson M., Jakobsson L., Goritz C. Corpora cavernosa fibroblasts mediate penile erection. Science. 2024 Feb 9;383(6683):eade8064. doi: 10.1126/science.ade8064. Epub 2024 Feb 9.