The Rat as a Model for the Study of Penile Erection

No AccessJournal of Urology1 Mar 1989The Rat as a Model for the Study of Penile Erection David M. Quinlan, Randy J. Nelson, Alan W. Partin, Jacek L. Mostwin, and Patrick C. Walsh David M. QuinlanDavid M. Quinlan , Randy J. NelsonRandy J. Nelson , Alan W. PartinAlan W. Partin , Jacek L. MostwinJacek L. Mostwin , and Patrick C. WalshPatrick C. Walsh View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(17)40926-8AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail A model has been developed for the study of penile erection in the Sprague-Dawley rat. Anatomical dissections demonstrate a bilateral ganglion lateral to the prostate called the major pelvic ganglion. This ganglion receives input from the pelvic and hypogastric nerves and innervates the pelvic viscera. A large fiber from the major pelvic ganglion courses along the urethra and innervates the corpus cavernosum, the cavernous nerve. In 40 animals, electrical stimulation of either the cavernous nerve or the pelvic nerve resulted in reproducible repetitive tumescence of the corpora cavernosum. Following ablation of the cavernous nerve, electrical stimulation failed to produce erections. Standard mating behavior tests of mounting, intromission and ejaculation in 38 rats showed that surgical ablation of the cavernous nerve resulted in a decrease in the rate of intromissions and ejaculations compared with sham operated controls. Present models for the study of erection have been limited to the dog, monkey and cat. The rat model presented here offers several advantages over these existing models: 1) the cavernous nerve is easily identified, 2) electrical stimulation is easily accomplished and reproducible, 3) behavioral and neurophysiological studies are possible, and 4) animal purchase, housing, and maintenance costs are low. These advantages make this model a uniquely useful tool in the further study of penile erection. © 1989 by The American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byYAMANAKA M, SHIRAI M, SHIINA H, TANAKA Y, ENOKIDA H, TSUJIMURA A, MATSUMIYA K, OKUYAMA A and DAHIYA R (2018) VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR RESTORES ERECTILE FUNCTION THROUGH INHIBITION OF APOPTOSIS IN DIABETIC RAT PENILE CRURAJournal of Urology, VOL. 173, NO. 1, (318-323), Online publication date: 1-Jan-2005.USER H, HAIRSTON J, ZELNER D, McKENNA K and McVARY K (2018) Penile Weight and Cell Subtype Specific Changes in a Post-Radical Prostatectomy Model of Erectile DysfunctionJournal of Urology, VOL. 169, NO. 3, (1175-1179), Online publication date: 1-Mar-2003.YAMANAKA M, SHIRAI M, SHIINA H, TANAKA Y, TSUJIMURA A, MATSUMIYA K, OKUYAMA A and DAHIYA R (2018) Diabetes Induced Erectile Dysfunction and Apoptosis in Penile Crura are Recovered by Insulin Treatment in RatsJournal of Urology, VOL. 170, NO. 1, (291-297), Online publication date: 1-Jul-2003.USER H, ZELNER D, McKENNA K and McVARY K (2018) Microarray Analysis and Description of Smr1 Gene in Rat Penis in a Post-Radical Prostatectomy Model of Erectile DysfunctionJournal of Urology, VOL. 170, NO. 1, (298-301), Online publication date: 1-Jul-2003.YAMANAKA M, SHIRAI M, SHIINA H, SHIRAI M, TANAKA Y, FUJIME M, OKUYAMA A and DAHIYA R (2018) Loss of Anti-apoptotic Genes in Aging Rat CruraJournal of Urology, VOL. 168, NO. 5, (2296-2300), Online publication date: 1-Nov-2002. 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Volume 141Issue 3 Part 1March 1989Page: 656-661 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 1989 by The American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information David M. Quinlan More articles by this author Randy J. Nelson More articles by this author Alan W. Partin More articles by this author Jacek L. Mostwin More articles by this author Patrick C. Walsh More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...