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1522954 
Journal Article 
Multipotent Stromal Cell Therapy for Cavernous Nerve Injury-Induced Erectile Dysfunction 
Albersen, M; Kendirci, M; Van Der Aa, F; Hellstrom, WJG; Lue, T; Spees, JL 
2012 
Yes 
Journal of Sexual Medicine
ISSN: 1743-6095
EISSN: 1743-6109 
9 
2 
385-403 
22145667 
WOS:000299729900005 
Introduction. Erectile dysfunction (ED) following radical
prostatectomy (RP) is a result of inadvertent damage to the cavernous nerves that run close to
the prostate capsula. The mechanisms behind the development of post-RP ED are increasingly
recognized and include cavernosal fibrosis and cavernosal smooth muscle apoptosis, resulting from
cavernous nerve degeneration due to neuropraxia. In recent years, cell-based therapies have
received increasing attention regarding their potential for recovery of erectile function
following cavernous nerve injury (CNI). Multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) are an attractive cell
source for this application based on their regenerative potential and their clinical
applicability. Aim. To review available evidence on the efficacy and mechanisms of action of MSC
application for the treatment of ED, with an emphasis on ED following CNI. Methods. A
nonsystematic review was conducted on the available English literature between 1966 and 2011 on
the search engines SciVerse-sciencedirect, SciVerse-scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Results.
MSCs from both bone marrow and adipose tissue have shown beneficial effects in a variety of
animal models for ED. While MSC application in chronic disease models such as diabetes, aging,
and hyperlipidemia may result in cell engraftment and possibly MSC differentiation, this
observation has not been made in the acute CNI rat model. In the latter setting, MSC effects seem
to be established by cell recruitment toward the major pelvic ganglion and local paracrine
interaction with the host neural tissue. Conclusions. While the type of model may influence the
mechanisms of action of this MSC-based therapy, MSCs generally display efficacy in various animal
models for ED. Before translation to the clinic is established, various hurdles need to be
overcome. Albersen M, Kendirci M, Van der Aa F, Hellstrom WJG, Lue TF, and Spees JL. Multipotent
stromal cell therapy for cavernous nerve injury-induced erectile dysfunction. J Sex Med 2012; 9:
385-403. 
Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells; Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells; Cavernous Nerve Injury; Recruitment; Erectile Dysfunction; Paracrine