Erectile tissue

Male arousal

The term erectile tissue generally refers to a vascular plexus that fills with blood - such as the erectile tissue inside the male penis.

The penis has three corpora cavernosa. During sexual arousal or through the generation of similar external stimuli, the erectile tissue fills with blood and causes the penis to stiffen. This condition is generally referred to as an erection. When sexual arousal subsides, the spongy tissue in the erectile tissue releases the blood again and the stiffening of the penis is reduced. In erectile dysfunction, this process is usually permanently disrupted.