Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction

Abstract

Although a spectrum of options is available for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment, ED in diabetics, post-prostatectomy patients, and those with Peyronie's disease (PD) may be more severe in degree and less likely to respond to conventional medical therapies. Unfortunately, there have been limited breakthroughs in therapeutic options for severe ED during the past decade. However, one of the more fascinating strategies in preclinical development to treat ED is stem cell transplantation. Depending on the cell type, recent research has demonstrated that with transplantation, these stem cells can exert a paracrine effect on surrounding penile tissues and differentiate into smooth muscle, endothelium, and neurons. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have become a valuable resource because of their abundance and ease of isolation. It is evident that ADSCs may provide a realistic, therapeutic modality for the treatment of ED. In this review, we will cover the literature that has evaluated ADSCs in the treatment of ED.