EMBO J 31 4, 788–804 (2012); published online December 13 2011
The arteries, veins, capillaries and lymphatic vessels that comprise the vertebrate vascular system function to transport blood and lymphatic fluid to and from the tissues. It is therefore unsurprising that development, maintenance and physiology of these structures are strongly influenced by mechanical forces such as pressure and fluid shear stress associated with fluid flow (Hahn and Schwartz, 2008; Culver and Dickinson, 2010). Both embryonic morphogenesis and adult homeostasis of blood vessels appear to be organized so that vessel dimensions are matched to tissue demand. The accompanying paper from Planas-Paz et al (2011) elegantly demonstrates that a similar principle operates for lymphatic development as well.