Erectile dysfunction: Restoration of erection in pigs renews hope for humans

Scientists could be inching closer to finding a long-term cure for erectile dysfunction in humans after successfully restoring erectile function in pigs through the use of an artificial tissue. In a recent study, scientists in China demonstrated how a synthetic tissue can be used to repair penile injuries in humans.

Groundbreaking

An article on Science Alert suggests that nearly half of the population of humans with penises experience some form of erectile dysfunction (ED) between 40 and 70 years. One of the common forms of ED is Peyronie’s disease, where scar tissues from past injuries cause pain and disruption in function.

A team of scientists at South China University of Technology set out to find synthetic tissues that could work as potential alternative when the natural ones get injured. After studying injuries in the tunica albuginea - a sheath of tissue that is necessary for maintaining erections - the team developed an artificial one. One of the authors of the study published in the journal Matter, Xuetao Shi said:

We largely foresaw the problems and results of the ATA construction process, but we were still surprised by the results in the animal experiments, where the penis regained normal erection immediately after the use of ATA.

Cautious hope

After identifying the artificial tissue that work, the researchers performed series of experiments to test its toxicity and blood compatibility before testing it on miniature pigs that had injured their tunica albuginea. After a month, they found that the synthetic tissue repaired erectile function though not perfect.

The researchers however cautioned that penile injuries can be complicated to repair, as the tunica albuginea is usually not the only type of tissue damaged. According to Shi:

Our work at this stage focuses on the repair of a single tissue in the penis, and the next stage will be to consider the repair of the overall penile defect or the construction of an artificial penis from a holistic perspective.

If that is successful, the team plans to investigate techniques to repair other tissues, including the heart and bladder.

Sources used:

Euronews: Hope for humans as scientists restore erections in injured pigs with an artificial penis tissue

New Scientist: Synthetic tissue restores erections in pigs with penis injuries

Science Alert: Scientists Reverse Erectile Dysfunction in Pigs Using Synthetic Tissue