Experimental and clinical evidence supports the view that the activation of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system is involved in cardiovascular pathology including hypertension, heart failure, myocardial ischemia, and atherosclerosis. The present volume describes the intricacies involved in these processes, including the in?uence of prorenin/renin, angiotensin II, angiotensin (1-7), and aldosterone on cardiac and vascular functions as well as their involvement in the generation of cardiovascular diseases. Fundamental aspects like intracellular signaling, regulation of cell volume in the failing heart, and the presence of an intracrine renin angiotensin system are discussed. Moreover, the role of the mineralocorticoid receptor as an important c- ponent of the intracrine renin angiotensin system and as a regulator of extracellular action of angiotensin II is described, reinforcing the view that aldosterone inhibitors are helpful in the treatment of heart failure and hypertension. Let us hope the imp- tant topics included here motivate basic and clinical investigators and contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular diseases. We want to thank the distinguished authors and Humana Press for the opportunity to publish this important book. Walmor C. DeMello Edward Frohlich v Contents 1 Systemic Versus Local Renin Angiotensin Systems. An Overview ...1 Walmor C. DeMello and Richard N. Re 2 Clinical Import of the Local Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone Systems ...7 Edward D. Frohlich 3 Renin, Prorenin, and the (Pro)Renin Receptor ...15 Genevieve Nguyen and Aurelie Contrepas 4 Local Renin Angiotensin Systems in the Cardiovascular System ...25 Richard N.