Professors Chris Garland and Kim Dora are leading authors on a new paper published this week in the journal 'Science Signaling' entitled "Voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry into smooth muscle during contraction promotes endothelium-mediated feedback vasodilation in arterioles". Research conducted by the group found that Ca2+ entry into vascular smooth muscle activates Ca2+ signaling in the endothelium to protect tissue blood flow. These results resolve a long-standing controversy over how vascular smooth muscle cells communicate with endothelial cells to trigger feedback vasodilation.