Objective quantification of cavernous endothelium in potent and impotent men.

Penile corporeal lacunar endothelium is active in the local neural control of corporeal smooth muscle relaxation by producing nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator neurotransmitter. Via computerized image analysis we quantified objectively the percentage of endothelial cells in corpus cavernosum tissues of potent and impotent men. Immunohistochemical staining factor VIII was used to identify the endothelial cells. Five normal potent men had a mean of 2.8% cavernous endothelial cells, compared to 2.4% in 12 patients with venous leakage and 2.8% in 10 with arterial disease. Objective quantification showed no difference in the numbers of cavernous endothelial cells between potent and impotent men.