The changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthases (nNOS) in the dorsal penile nerves (DPNs) are consistent with cavernous nerve (CN) injury in rat models. However, the anatomical relationship and morphological changes between the minor branches of the DPNs and the CNs after injury have never been clearly explored. There were forty 12 week old male Sprague-Dawley rats receiving bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). Erectile function of intracavernous pressure and mean arterial pressure were measured. The histology and ultrastructure with H&E stain, Masson's trichrome stain and immunohistochemical stains were applied on the examination of CNs and DPNs. We demonstrated communicating nerve branches between the DPNs and the CNs in rats. The greatest damage and lowest erectile function were seen in the 14^th day and partially recovered in the 28^th day after BCNI. The nNOS positive DPN minor branches' number was significantly correlated with erectile function. The sub-analysis of the number of nNOS positive DPN minor branches also matched with the time course of the erectile function after BCNI. We suggest the regeneration of the DPNs minor branches would ameliorate the erectile function in BCNI rats.

中文翻译：

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在大鼠双侧海绵体损伤模型中，背阴茎神经的nNOS阳性小支与勃起功能有关。

大鼠阴茎背神经（DPNs）中神经元一氧化氮合酶（nNOS）的变化与大鼠模型中的海绵体神经（CN）损伤一致。但是，尚未明确探讨DPNs和CNs损伤后小分支之间的解剖关系和形态变化。有40只12周大的Sprague-Dawley雄性大鼠遭受双侧海绵体神经损伤（BCNI）。测量了海绵体内压和平均动脉压的勃起功能。用H＆E染色，Masson三色染色和免疫组织化学染色的组织学和超微结构检查CNs和DPNs。我们证明了DPN与CN之间的神经支连通。在第14^次时发现最大的损害和最低的勃起功能一天中部分位于28回收^第一天后BCNI。nNOS阳性DPN小支的数目与勃起功能显着相关。对nNOS阳性DPN小支的数量的亚分析也与BCNI后勃起功能的时间过程相匹配。我们建议DPNs小支的再生将改善BCNI大鼠的勃起功能。