penile erection

Also known as GO:0043084, erection

An erection (clinically: penile erection or penile tumescence) is a physiological phenomenon in which the penis becomes firm, engorged, and enlarged. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular, and endocrine factors, and is often associated with sexual arousal, sexual attraction or libido, although erections can also be spontaneous. The shape, angle, and direction of an erection vary considerably between humans.

AI overview

A penile erection is a physiological process in which the penis becomes firm, enlarged, and engorged due to a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular, and endocrine factors. While erections are often associated with sexual arousal or attraction, they can also occur spontaneously, and their shape, angle, and direction vary considerably from person to person.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Anatomy.Name: Erection blood vessels
Anatomy.Image: File:A Erect human penis.JPG
Anatomy.Caption: Erection of an uncircumcised male human
Anatomy.Image2: Figure 28 01 06.jpg
Anatomy.Caption2: Three columns of erectile tissue make up most of the volume of the penis.
Anatomy.Width: 270

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

10,331 papers

Corpora cavernosa fibroblasts mediate penile erection.Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2024Guimaraes EL, Dias DO, Hau WF et al.DOI: 10.1126/science.ade8064
Penile erection and cardiovascular function: effects and pathophysiology.ReviewThe aging male : the official journal of the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male · 2024Akorede BA, Hassan SA, Akhigbe REDOI: 10.1080/13685538.2024.2336627
Rare disorders of penile erection.Fertility and sterility · 2020Burnett ALDOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.11.013
Pharmacology of penile erection.ReviewPharmacological reviews · 2001Andersson KE
Physiology of penile erection.ReviewPhysiological reviews · 1995Andersson KE, Wagner GDOI: 10.1152/physrev.1995.75.1.191
Physiology of penile erection.ReviewTheScientificWorldJournal · 2004El-Sakka AI, Lue TFDOI: 10.1100/tsw.2004.58
Physiology of Erection and Pathophysiology of Erectile Dysfunction.ReviewThe Urologic clinics of North America · 2021MacDonald SM, Burnett ALDOI: 10.1016/j.ucl.2021.06.009
Thalamus and penile erection.ReviewInternational journal of impotence research · 2004Temel Y, Visser-Vandewalle V, Ackermans L et al.DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901233

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Wikidata facts

Image: Međimurski konj (vranac) na sajmu MESAP 2015.jpg

Show 2 more facts

Commons category: Erect mammal penis
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0043084

Sources (4)

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~13 min read

Article

17 sections

Contents

Physiology
Autonomic control
Voluntary and involuntary control
Nocturnal erection
Socio-sexual aspects
Social
Spontaneous or random erections
Size
Direction
Medical conditions
Erectile dysfunction
Priapism
Hard flaccid syndrome
Other animals
Terminology
See also
References

Physiologically, an erection is required for a male to effect penetration or sexual intercourse and is triggered by the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, causing the levels of nitric oxide (a vasodilator) to rise in the trabecular arteries and smooth muscle of the penis. The arteries dilate causing the corpora cavernosa of the penis (and to a lesser extent the corpus spongiosum) to fill with blood; simultaneously the ischiocavernosus and bulbospongiosus muscles compress the veins of the corpora cavernosa restricting the egress and circulation of this blood. Erection subsides when parasympathetic activity reduces to baseline.