New discoveries concerning the function of fibroblasts in penile erection have improved our understanding of this physiological process. In humans, fibroblasts are the largest cell population in the corpora cavernosa, but until now their function had not been elucidated.

“We study perivascular fibroblasts in the context of fibrosis in the central nervous system and I was curious about their physiological role in erection,” lead author Christian Göritz tells Nature Reviews Urology, continuing “The penis contains a large amount of fibroblasts and has the advantage that it lays outside the body, making it possible to study fibroblast function non-invasively.”