This book summarizes the papers presented at the International Symposium on vascular smooth muscle, organized in combination with the XXV Interna­ tional Congress of Physiological Sciences by the German Society of Angiology e. V. Honorary Presidents were Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. K. Wezler and Profes­ sor Dr. Dr. h. c. H. E. Bock. The annual meeting of the SOCiety of Angiology was combined with the Symposium. It was held at the Physiological Institute of the University of TUBINGEN, an appropriate setting, since in the last century numerous scientists from this institute were engaged in special problems con­ nected with the vascular system and muscles. The topics of this meeting covered a wide field of vascular research; it was the aim of the organizers to the discuss the physiological, biochemical and morphological basis of the vascular muscles with clinicians and to stress some important aspects in the form of round table discussions. On the following pages the reader will therefore find numerous papers on spe­ cial basic problems of the physiology, biochemistry and morphology of vascu­ lar smooth muscle as well as on pathophysiological and pathological changes and papers about the clinical treatment of vascular disorders. The more ex­ perimental and theoretical papers and discussions are concerned with the sin­ gle smooth muscle cell and the different types of vessels in various organs whereas the discussion of the clinical sections concentrate on the coronary system.