madman
Super Moderator
Sex is a science of cutting edge but bathed in mystery. Coitus or sexual intercourse, which is at the core of sexual activities, requires healthy and functioning vessels to supply the pelvic region, thus contributing to clitoris erection and vaginal lubrication in females and penile erection in males. It is well known that nitric oxide (NO) is the main gas mediator of penile and clitoris erection.
In addition, the lightest and diffusible gas molecule hydrogen (H2) has been shown to improve erectile dysfunction (ED), testis injuries, sperm motility in males, preserve ovarian function, protect against uterine inflammation, preeclampsia, and breast cancer in the female. Mechanistically, H2 has strong abilities to attenuate excessive oxidative stress by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals, modulate immunity and inflammation, and inhibit injuries-induced cell death. Therefore, H2 is a novel bioactive gas molecule involved in modulating sexual organ's homeostasis.
1. Introduction
Sex is a fundamental pleasure and quality-of-life issue [1, 2]. Sexual medicine represents one of the oldest medical specialties, and ancient civilizations had no qualms in discussing their sexual health and sexuality—an openness that has not pervaded through to modern life [3]. Although crucial to the survival of our species, human sex is clearly more complex than mere reproduction; sexual medicine is involved in endocrinology, gynecology, andrology, genetics, neurology, angiology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other related disciplines; human sex is cutting edge but bathed in mystery [1, 3, 4]. Traditionally, sexual intercourse or coitus, which is viewed as that female vagina receives the male erect the penis is at the core of sexual activities.
Coitus requires healthy and functioning vessels to supply the pelvic region in males and females, thus generating penile and clitoris erection and vaginal lubrication, respectively [5, 6]. Erection is a neurovascular event modulated by psychological and hormonal factors [5, 6]. Nitric oxide (NO), which is recognized as the main mediator of penile and clitoris erection is synthesized and released from adjacent nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) nerve endings via neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and/or endothelial cells (ECs) via endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) upon mental and sensory stimuli via spinal reflex [5, 7, 8]. Upon its release, NO diffuses locally into adjacent cavernosal and vascular smooth muscle cells and binds with its physiologic receptor, soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) [5, 9]. This binding results in an enzyme conformational change, resulting in the conversion of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) [5, 7, 10]. cGMP activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG); PKG phosphorylates several molecular targets, such as inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptor, IP3 receptor-associated PKG substrate (IRAG), phospholamban (PLB), and calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channel [11, 12]; these result in decreasing free cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) concentration through increased its uptake into intracellular stores, such as the sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and through increased efflux/decreased influx of Ca2+ across the plasma membrane, finally, induce relaxation of the vascular and cavernosal smooth muscle cells [5, 7, 13].
2. Basic Characteristics of H2
3. H2 Modulates Sexual Organs Homeostasis in Male
3.1. H2 and Erectile Dysfunction
3.2. H2 and Testicular Toxicity of Smoking
3.3. H2 and Spinal Cord Hemisection-Induced Testicular Injury
3.4. H2 and Testicular Torsion
3.5. H2 and Testicular Damage Caused by Radiation
3.6. H2 and Sperm Motility
4. H2 Modulates Sexual Organs Homeostasis in Female
4.1. H2 and Adnexal Torsion
4.2. H2 and Osteoporosis after Menopause
4.3. H2 and Premature Ovarian Failure
4.4. H2 and Uterine Inflammation
4.5. H2 and Breast Cancer
5. Perspective
5.1. Gases Interaction in Modulating Sexual Organs Homeostasis
5.2. Interaction between Sexual Activities and Endogenous H2
5.3. The Endogenous H2 in Sexual Organs Homeostasis
In addition, the lightest and diffusible gas molecule hydrogen (H2) has been shown to improve erectile dysfunction (ED), testis injuries, sperm motility in males, preserve ovarian function, protect against uterine inflammation, preeclampsia, and breast cancer in the female. Mechanistically, H2 has strong abilities to attenuate excessive oxidative stress by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals, modulate immunity and inflammation, and inhibit injuries-induced cell death. Therefore, H2 is a novel bioactive gas molecule involved in modulating sexual organ's homeostasis.
1. Introduction
Sex is a fundamental pleasure and quality-of-life issue [1, 2]. Sexual medicine represents one of the oldest medical specialties, and ancient civilizations had no qualms in discussing their sexual health and sexuality—an openness that has not pervaded through to modern life [3]. Although crucial to the survival of our species, human sex is clearly more complex than mere reproduction; sexual medicine is involved in endocrinology, gynecology, andrology, genetics, neurology, angiology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other related disciplines; human sex is cutting edge but bathed in mystery [1, 3, 4]. Traditionally, sexual intercourse or coitus, which is viewed as that female vagina receives the male erect the penis is at the core of sexual activities.
Coitus requires healthy and functioning vessels to supply the pelvic region in males and females, thus generating penile and clitoris erection and vaginal lubrication, respectively [5, 6]. Erection is a neurovascular event modulated by psychological and hormonal factors [5, 6]. Nitric oxide (NO), which is recognized as the main mediator of penile and clitoris erection is synthesized and released from adjacent nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) nerve endings via neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and/or endothelial cells (ECs) via endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) upon mental and sensory stimuli via spinal reflex [5, 7, 8]. Upon its release, NO diffuses locally into adjacent cavernosal and vascular smooth muscle cells and binds with its physiologic receptor, soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) [5, 9]. This binding results in an enzyme conformational change, resulting in the conversion of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) [5, 7, 10]. cGMP activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG); PKG phosphorylates several molecular targets, such as inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptor, IP3 receptor-associated PKG substrate (IRAG), phospholamban (PLB), and calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channel [11, 12]; these result in decreasing free cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) concentration through increased its uptake into intracellular stores, such as the sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and through increased efflux/decreased influx of Ca2+ across the plasma membrane, finally, induce relaxation of the vascular and cavernosal smooth muscle cells [5, 7, 13].
2. Basic Characteristics of H2
3. H2 Modulates Sexual Organs Homeostasis in Male
3.1. H2 and Erectile Dysfunction
3.2. H2 and Testicular Toxicity of Smoking
3.3. H2 and Spinal Cord Hemisection-Induced Testicular Injury
3.4. H2 and Testicular Torsion
3.5. H2 and Testicular Damage Caused by Radiation
3.6. H2 and Sperm Motility
4. H2 Modulates Sexual Organs Homeostasis in Female
4.1. H2 and Adnexal Torsion
4.2. H2 and Osteoporosis after Menopause
4.3. H2 and Premature Ovarian Failure
4.4. H2 and Uterine Inflammation
4.5. H2 and Breast Cancer
5. Perspective
5.1. Gases Interaction in Modulating Sexual Organs Homeostasis
5.2. Interaction between Sexual Activities and Endogenous H2
5.3. The Endogenous H2 in Sexual Organs Homeostasis
