Author's Proof! Invited Review

Endothelium-dependent changes in vasomotor 10 tone, whether evoked by vasoactive agents or physical 11 forces, are recognized as essential for the local hemody-12 namic control in various normal and pathological circum-13 stances. They are based on a complex signaling network 14 within the vascular wall. In recent years, substantial efforts 15 have been made to analyze how such signals are generated 16 and used in the endothelium-dependent control of vascular 17 smooth muscle. The underlying mechanisms vary with 18 species, age, sex, hormonal status, vascular bed studied, 19 caliber of the blood vessels, triggering stimuli, pre-existing 20 vascular tone, oxidative stress, and pathology. Such aspects 21 and many others will be addressed specifically by the 22 authors contributing to this volume.