Molecular biological studies of erectile dysfunction: an update / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Erectile dysfunction (ED), as a common male disease, seriously affects the patients' sexual life quality. Most ED patients benefit from phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, but some refractory ED sufferers fail to respond to them. With the rapid development of molecular biology, the relevant molecular signaling pathways of penile erection and molecular pathogenesis of ED have been gradually clarified, and attempts have been made at a better management or a complete cure of ED with advanced molecular biological methods such as the gene therapy. This article presents an overview on the research progress in the molecular signaling pathways, molecular pathogenesis, and gene therapy of ED.