Erectile dysfunction (ED) refers to the persistent inability to achieve and/or maintain a sufficient erection of the penis to obtain a satisfactory sexual life,which affects the quality of life of the patients and their sexual partners.To decipher the pathophysiological mechanism of ED,researchers have established a variety of animal models and achieved a series of progress.The cavernous nerve (CN) of rodents,anatomically similar to that of humans,is cost-effective,thick,and easy to be identified,which has gradually become the mainstream of animal models.In this paper,we reviewed the modeling methods of the neurological ED caused by bilateral CN injury in rats in recent years,summarized the model evaluation indicators,and discussed the application and progress of ED models in basic experimental research.
Keywords: animal model; cavernous nerve injury; erectile dysfunction; rat.