RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Mechanisms of Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction and the Basis for Pharmacologic Treatment of Smooth Muscle Disorders JF Pharmacological Reviews JO Pharmacol Rev FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 476 OP 532 DO 10.1124/pr.115.010652 VO 68 IS 2 A1 F.V. Brozovich A1 C.J. Nicholson A1 C.V. Degen A1 Yuan Z. Gao A1 M. Aggarwal A1 K.G. Morgan A2 Stephanie W. Watts YR 2016 UL http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/68/2/476.abstract AB The smooth muscle cell directly drives the contraction of the vascular wall and hence regulates the size of the blood vessel lumen. We review here the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which agonists, therapeutics, and diseases regulate contractility of the vascular smooth muscle cell and we place this within the context of whole body function. We also discuss the implications for personalized medicine and highlight specific potential target molecules that may provide opportunities for the future development of new therapeutics to regulate vascular function.