Cytokine regulation of endothelial cell function: From molecular level to the bedside

Endothelial cells (ECs) participate in inflammatory and immune reactions by producing and responding to cytokines. The molecular basis underlying the functional reprogramming of endothelium is now being unraveled with the benefit of new data. Here, Alberto Mantovani and colleagues argue that activation of ECs provides a paradigm for the interpretation of the pathogenesis of diverse human diseases.