Synthetic tissue restores erections in pigs with penis injuries

Researchers have developed a synthetic tissue that allows pigs with damaged penises to get erections.This study may lead to new treatments for erectile dysfunction

Along Sarah Novak

Synthetic tissue restored erectile function in pigs with damaged penises. Although promising, researchers acknowledge that erectile dysfunction has multiple causes, including damage beyond the albuginea.

Damage to the albuginea can sometimes be repaired by taking tissue from elsewhere in the body and combining it with a network of proteins and other molecules to create a supporting tissue patch. It can be rejected and does not always effectively mimic albuginea.

To overcome this, Xuetao Shi and his colleagues at South China University of Technology used an isotropic polyvinyl alcohol gel to create an artificial albuginea with a curled fibrous structure similar to naturally occurring tissue. did.

Researchers first used weighted balloons to show that the artificial tunica does not bend. This indicates that it is strong enough to maintain the hardness of the penis.

We next tested the engineered tissue in pigs with damaged albuginea membranes. The animal’s penis became erect when saline was injected into the organ.

Until one month later, the pigs showed no signs of rejecting the engineered tissue.

Researchers hope that if the artificial tissue were used in humans, it would produce a sensation similar to other erections.

Anthony Atala of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina said: “This technology is promising and requires further research so that it can be safely transferred to human patients who can benefit from this advancement.”

Stress, fatigue, anxiety, and excessive alcohol consumption can all contribute to erectile dysfunction. It can also result from damage to the nerves surrounding the corpus cavernosum or the albuginea.

Shi hopes future research will lead to the development of engineered tissues that overcome damage to other tissues involved in erections.

Journal reference: caseDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2022.11.032