Landmark study by Dr. Parviz Kavoussi examines the role of cellular connections and their importance in erectile function

With approximately 30 million men in the US suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) annually, more emphasis is needed on basic science research to help with the understanding of the mechanisms to help with new treatments and with ways to prevent this issue.  Dr. Parviz Kavoussi recently published a ground breaking article in the journal Andrologia.

This study is the first to identify connections, known as myoendothelial junctions, between the cells that line blood vessels and smooth muscle cells in the penis of mice as well as men.  These cells require these connections to communicate with each other to allow for erectile function.  Animal studies showed that when these connections are missing, the animals develop ED and by essentially restoring the connections, erectile function improved.

“Although these novel findings are very exciting and encouraging, ultimately we must better understand how to apply this new understanding to target new treatments for men suffering from ED to improve their quality of life, sexual function, and fertility.  This is a great step towards that goal,” states Dr. Kavoussi.

To access the study, see:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25557984