Vascular dysfunction in obesity and insulin resistance

With the growing prevalence of obesity and impaired glycemic control, and the correlation between these conditions and an elevated predisposition for the development of vascular disease, research emphases are increasingly being targeted to the mechanistic bases and functional outcomes of these relationships. Given this, the current issue of Microcirculation, presents a series of reviews that summarize knowledge on an array of topics relevant to obesity, insulin resistance, and vascular dysfunction. The first chapters discuss altered patterns of blood flow regulation, vascular reactivity, microvascular density, and vascular wall mechanics. The second grouping details alterations to coronary, renal, and hepatic circulations and the implications of these effects for organ function. Additionally, one article presents knowledge and outlines future research directions for the study of endothelial permeability and barrier function within insulin resistance. The last group of articles discusses the effects of inflammation with obesity and insulin resistance on vascular function, and also details the role of perivascular adipose tissue in contributing to vascular dysfunction. The final review extends this general topic to the effects of the metabolic syndrome on microvascular dysfunction, wherein obesity and impaired glycemic control are contributing elements to a larger constellation of systemic pathologies. The authors hope that this Special Topics Issue will be informative for its readers and will provide a basis for future investigation into microvasculopathy in obesity and insulin-resistance.