[The physiology of erection: study of the intrapenile tissue]

Abstract

The mechanisms which control erection depend on the integrity of the intrapenile smooth muscle fibres, the endothelium which lines them, and the thick membrane, the albuginea, which surrounds them. These dynamic structures are subject to neurological control which stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. These substances exert synergistic and antagonistic effects and act via receptors which have been identified by means of pharmacological studies. The objective of this paper is to simply present the current state of knowledge concerning the physiology of the erectile tissue of the penis.