title: [Tissue engineering of erectile nerves].
abstract: Dissection of the cavernous nerves eliminates spontaneous erections and may lead to irreversible erectile dysfunction due to degeneration of cavernous tissue. Novel procedures to reconstruct penile innervation include cavernous nerve interposition grafting and neurotrophic treatments to revitalize penile neural input, evaluated thus far in various preclinical models of cavernous nerve injury. Schwann cells crucially contribute to successful axonal regeneration by mechanical and paracrine mechanisms in the injured nerve, and Schwann cells seeded into guidance channels have been successfully employed to support regeneration in animal models of cavernous nerve injury. Gene therapy, tissue engineering, and reconstructive techniques have been combined to deliver neurotrophic factors and recover erectile function.
authors.affiliation: Urologische Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik, Technische Universität München. mayflorian@aol.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matiasek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vroemen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mrva
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caspers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henke
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brill
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehmer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blesch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gänsbacher
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartung
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors