[Phenotypic transformation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells in hypertensive rats].

Objective: To validate the hypothesis that the phenotypic transformation occurs in the smooth muscle cells in the corpus cavernosum of hypertensive rat and explore its impact on the erectile function of rats.

Methods: Eighteen 16-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and 10 syngeneic normotensive rats (WKY) were used in this experiment. After measurement of systolic blood pressure of the caudal artery and examination of the erectile function with subcutaneous injection of apomorphine (APO), the rats were divided into 3 groups, namely hypertensive with erectile dysfunction (HBP-ED) group (n=6), hypertensive (HBP) group (n=12) and control group (n=10).